Repression, Part 2 of the Deliverance Trilogy
by shepsgirl72
Summary: Sheppard has to face an old adversary when a 'Thank You' celebration on Medulsa doesn't turn out quite as planned. But is it really only his skill with Ancient tech she wants, or are her needs more...personal? Sequel to Deliverance. Contains Shep Whump!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Stargate belongs to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc; no infringement of any rights is intended. However, if Father Christmas should leave John Sheppard in my stocking on December 25th (he's on my list, and I have been _very _good), he's all mine and I promise not to treat him as badly as I do in this fic!

**Spoilers:** Possible spoilers for various episodes from Season 1 through to 'Common Ground' in Season 3, shortly after which this story is set. The background story for Sheppard contained in this fic is purely my surmising, and not canon in any way shape or form.

**Warnings:** Scenes of violence and torture not suitable for young readers.

This is a sequel to my story 'Deliverance'. It can be read alone, but it will make a lot more sense if you read the other one first. Trust me on that.

For those of you who do not have time to read Deliverance, the main things you need to know are that the character Sarayah was a prison guard on Medulsa who took a particularly unhealthy interest in Sheppard during his time in captivity after he inadvertent broke their laws. Also, Medulsa has an Ancient weapon that defends the planet from the Wraith, which the scientists on Atlantis would love the opportunity to study and McKay and Sheppard helped to fix.

My thanks to **Sterenyk Strey** for reading this through to ensure I didn't lose the plot – at least not in the story – and for letting me know where I was being a little two British with my dialogue, although I fought my corner and held on to both my 'backside' and my 'trousers' in the narrative. The help was much appreciated! Your reward is both drippy blood and heroic staggering...among other things.

**Summary: **

Repression:

1. To put down by force, usually before total control has been lost; quell

2. A mental process by which distressing thoughts, memories, or impulses that may give rise to anxiety are excluded from consciousness and left to operate in the unconscious

3. The subconscious rejection of thoughts and impulses that conflict with conventional standards of conduct

Lt Col John Sheppard has experienced a lot of bad things in his past that he tries to forget, not least of which is his imprisonment two years ago on Medulsa. Now someone he'd hoped never to see again is about to make him face those memories, and a few others, once more.

**Chapter 1**

It had been a hellishly long day so far, and apparently it wasn't over yet.

Sheppard knew there was trouble brewing when Weir stepped onto the balcony outside her office and called him up to speak to her. You didn't spend as many years in the air force as he had without picking up a thing or two about the nuances of body language, even if the words used weren't a problem in themselves.

'John, could I have a quick word?'

Sure, that sounded innocent enough, but she wore an odd little smile and drummed her fingers on the rail in a way that suggested she had something to say she knew he wasn't going to like. That didn't bode well, especially since he'd been hoping for a quiet evening in his quarters with his feet up listening to some relaxing music.

Having just walked back through the gate after a particularly grimy mission, the colonel wanted nothing more than to head off for a shower and a change of clothes, but figured he'd better not argue in case it was something important. 'I'll meet you guys in the mess hall later,' he said to the rest of the team as they departed, then bounced up the stairs two at a time to find out what was so vital it couldn't even wait until he'd taken a leak.

When he reached Elizabeth's office he found Major Lorne waiting in there, too. The man began to get up out of his seat, but Sheppard waved him down again. He didn't need anyone to stand on ceremony for him when he'd been wading knee deep in mud and other crap all day. He noticed Elizabeth eying the dirty trail he'd left on her floor with mild disgust. Well, if what she had to say couldn't wait for him to get cleaned up first that was the price she had to pay.

'What's all this about? We got a problem?' he asked.

'No...no problem. Sit down, John,' she instructed him, gesturing toward a free chair as she resumed her place behind the desk.

Sheppard dropped wearily into the empty seat beside Lorne, his damp trousers cloying to his backside with an uncomfortable and slightly sickly coldness. He'd been off world for six hours, most of which he'd spent on foot because the natives of the planet were 'wary of technology', to quote Teyla's exact words. Rodney had gone all hyperactive and insistent that they check the planet out because he'd detected a power source that bore similarities to the energy signature of a ZPM during some routine scans. Unfortunately, they'd had trouble locating it due to severe atmospheric and magnetic interference wreaking havoc with Rodney's equipment. As a result they'd spent several laborious hours wading across streams, fields and marshland, and were no closer to finding the source by the time they left than they had been when they got there. Now, all he wanted was a shower, some rest, and something hot to eat...oh, and to go to the little boys' room, of course. He really hoped this wouldn't take long.

'So, what's this all about?' he asked, trying to hurry them both along.

'Major Lorne has just returned from a mission I sent him out on earlier today, and he has some good news.' Elizabeth sat back, knitting her fingers together on her desktop and waiting for Lorne to deliver his report.

'Dr Weir asked me and my team to fly through to P3C-287 to carry out reconnaissance on the planet and find out how things have progressed since we were last there.'

The use of the planet's number rather than its name didn't faze Sheppard for a moment. That reference was burned into his memory and filed under 'When Hell Freezes Over' in his all time list of places he wanted to revisit. He knew other teams had carried out a few cloaked recon flights over Medulsa in the two years since his imprisonment there, and they'd always reported things as peaceful. He had to wonder why this was suddenly big news.

'Really, And how are they?' he asked, feigning interest.

'Very well,' Lorne replied. 'In fact, they send their regards.'

Now that was something he hadn't expected. Sheppard squinted suspiciously at him. 'Send their regards?' he repeated, shifting his position slightly as he tried to make himself more comfortable. 'I thought this was just a recon mission. Why d'you land?'

'Because I asked him to perform part of the flight without the cloak to gauge the response of the locals,' Elizabeth told him.

So Elizabeth finally thought enough time had passed to test the waters on Medulsa, did she? 'And you didn't think it was worth telling me about this?' he asked her, feeling somewhat peeved he'd been left out of the loop. 'This was a military matter, Elizabeth. I thought you'd agreed to defer to me on these issues.'

'Actually, I didn't think it was military as such,' she replied, leaning forward on her elbows. 'I see it more as...a diplomatic mission.'

'Using my troops,' Sheppard pointed out. 'You could have put them in danger.'

'I think you'll find those troops are at my disposal, as and when I require them,' she reminded him.

She was right, of course, but he still had the feeling she'd deliberately kept the details of Lorne's mission from him.

'With all due respect, Colonel, Dr Weir did advise us to assess the situation before de-cloaking and to remain at a safe distance when we did so. We passed over the village and saw both men and women living there, seemingly harmoniously, so we dropped the cloak and headed past again. It was pretty clear they were keen for us to stop, so we parked the jumper nearby and headed in on foot – armed, of course.'

'Of course,' Sheppard repeated, flashing a none-too-friendly look Elizabeth's way.

Elizabeth sat back and held her hands up in mock surrender. 'It was the major's call, John. I told him only to reveal their presence if he felt they could make contact without putting themselves at risk.'

'You can't judge that kind of thing from inside a jumper, Elizabeth. My team observed that village for an hour on the ground and thought everything was fine, but I still got ambushed.'

'Well, you did give up your weapons to them,' Elizabeth pointed out. 'Even you've admitted that wasn't one of your smartest moves.'

'And we went into the village fully aware of that, Sir. We made sure we remained armed at all times,' Lorne added.

Sheppard wasn't particularly pleased to be reminded of his naivety. The scars on his back and the fading bullet mark that still made his thigh ache from time to time, especially after six hours of wading through cold water and long grass, were reminders enough. That was one mistake he never intended to repeat again.

'Don't you want to know what they had to say?' Elizabeth asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Sheppard shifted in his seat again, hoping they hadn't been too loquacious. 'I don't suppose it would help if I said no, would it?'

'They told us that, after experiencing a rocky time in the early stages, things were vastly improved between the men and women of the village, and they now work side-by-side on all the projects the men used to manage in their enforced labour. They're even voluntarily having children...of both genders.'

Even though that was good news, he still didn't see what it had to do with him. 'Well, good for them...Look, can I go now; I really need to get the dirt out of my boots –'

Elizabeth held up a hand as Sheppard tried to stand. 'There's more, John.'

His heart sank as he hit the seat again. He'd had a horrible feeling there might be. 'Go on,' he sighed.

'They said they're very grateful for the part you played in reuniting their society and fixing the weapon that protects their planet. They want to begin trade with us as a demonstration of mutual trust and friendship.'

Although he knew that was promising considering the nature of the weapon they possessed, he couldn't muster much enthusiasm for the idea himself. 'Well, that's great. I'm sure Major Lorne and his team can handle that side of things from here on.'

'John –'

He held up a finger and she snapped her mouth shut. 'Elizabeth – don't ask me to go back and handle the trade with them. I was glad to get off that planet and I have no intention of setting foot on it again...at least not while I still have a pulse.'

He stood to leave again, but Elizabeth was up and out of her seat so quickly she blocked the doorway before he got to it.

'They want to thank you in person, John. That's all.'

He threw his head back, and let out a sigh. 'Of course they do,' he replied, smiling wryly back at her as he planted his hands on his hips. 'And what do they have in mind...a nice fruit basket?'

'They want to hold some kind of festivity in your honour.'

Sheppard just glared at her, deciding it best not to honour that with the response now teetering on the tip of his tongue.

'Tomorrow night,' she continued.

He still bit it back.

'I said you'd be there.'

Jaw clenching, he hissed. 'Because you just knew how much I love a good party...especially on Medulsa.'

Elizabeth swallowed hard, but her gaze was unwavering. 'I know bad things happened to you there, John, but those people have changed. They want to say thank you, and this could be really important to our relations with their planet.'

'Tell them I got called to something else,' he growled, trying to get past her.

She put her hand on his chest, just long enough to stop him. Then, clearly realising her fingers had touched the site of the scar from the Wraith feeding he'd endured only a few weeks ago, she snatched it back again. 'The festivities are in your honour, John. They're not going to be too impressed if you don't turn up.'

He knew Elizabeth was right, and his rational mind told him to suck it up and go back there. But the thought of meeting up with Sarayah again wasn't one he even wanted to give the light of day.

'It's just one evening,' she almost begged, still trying to wear him down. 'And if we make the right impression, we could eventually get access to that weapon of theirs, and I know I don't have to tell you how useful that could prove.'

Sheppard recognised emotional blackmail when he heard it, so wasn't about to give in so easily. Part of him wanted to say yes because he did know how useful the weapon could be, but he didn't like the way Elizabeth had volunteered him to attend without even asking if he was okay with it. This had become a matter of principle. He had to at least make her work for it. 'I'm surprised Allanae wants to go to the effort. She made it quite clear she wanted us off the planet and out of their lives as quickly as possible.'

'Well, power has shifted in Medulsa. Allanae passed away a few months after we left, and Alishia assumed her position following a vote among all the villagers. I guess they felt she was the most sensible choice following her conduct concerning the Wraith threat you alerted her to.'

Alishia was certainly a safe pair of hands from what he'd seen of her. He'd initially thought her to be nothing more than a thug, but she was a perfect example of the old adage, 'Don't judge a book by its cover'.

'Is this about Sarayah?' Elizabeth suddenly asked, interrupting his thoughts.

He blinked at her, wondering if he was really that transparent, the mere mention of the woman's name bringing all his bull-headed rebelliousness right to the surface. He glanced over his shoulder at Lorne, who lifted a quizzical eyebrow. No doubt he'd heard stories about her along the way, inaccurate ones spun by McKay in one of his more melodramatic moods, and so had a pretty good idea who this Sarayah woman was.

'Would you give us a moment please, Major?' Sheppard said with enforced calm.

Giving him a slight shrug, and a 'Yes, Sir,' Lorne made himself scarce, both of them stepping back to let him out of the door.

The moment the major was gone, he shut it. 'No, this is not about _her_,' Sheppard spat, unable to even bring himself to even say the woman's name. 'This is about respect, Elizabeth. And right now, you're not showing me any.'

Her eyes widened in genuine shock as she leaned back from the strength of his accusation. 'Don't you think you're over-reacting just a little here?'

'No...no I don't. Those people put me through hell while I was there, and when I got back here, when we were in isolation, I distinctly remember saying I would never set foot on that planet again, and _you _said that was okay,' he yelled, jabbing his finger toward her.

She sighed, returning to her desk and sitting down, gesturing for him to do the same. He didn't, just stayed right by the door, hands on hips and glaring.

'I know what I said, John, and I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't important. The Medulsans sound like they're genuinely grateful for all you did for them. Surely you don't want to offend them by refusing the invitation to a party in your honour?'

More emotional blackmail. He felt his hackles bristle. 'I wouldn't be causing offence if you hadn't said I would be there without consulting me first,' he pointed out.

Elizabeth took a deep breath, and leaned back in her seat, swaying it a little from side to side as she scrutinised him. 'All right, John. I apologise for speaking on your behalf...it won't happen again. Now...what can we do to make this situation more bearable for you?'

Though he was pleased she'd given him an apology, he didn't think she'd worked hard enough to earn his agreement just yet. 'Tell them I'm busy,' he repeated.

She raised her chin, giving him a faint smile. 'I can't do that. I don't want to jeopardise this fragile arrangement before it's even cemented. Be honest with me, John. Is this anger really all because I accepted without asking, or is some of it because of "that woman"?' Elizabeth asked, trying to delve a little deeper.

He knew the truth was, at some subconscious level, he associated that planet with deprivation, pain and violation, and that was definitely because of how Sarayah had run the prison complex. He rolled his eyes, and shrugged non-committally. 'Maybe...yes,' he conceded. With the wind taken out of his sails, he trudged back to his seat and sullenly threw himself into it. 'You can't blame me for that.'

'No, of course not,' Elizabeth agreed. 'So, I say again, what can we do to make this situation more bearable for you?'

Knowing any repeat of his request to tell the Medulsans he was otherwise engaged would be pointless, he sighed and gave it some thought. 'If you could guarantee I'm not going to run into her, I might reconsider.'

Elizabeth smiled, apparently satisfied with his answer. 'There, I knew we could work something out.'

Annoyed she'd forced him to concede the point, Sheppard folded his arms across his chest and gave her an icy look. 'I haven't said I'm going yet.'

'No...but you will,' she smirked. 'First thing in the morning I'll head out with Major Lorne's team and discuss the finer points of the festivities. I'll let you know what I make out.'

'Great...I'm thrilled.'

'Well, I know how much you love these celebrations,' she quipped.

Seeing an opportunity for a little revenge, he spoke up again. 'There is one other condition to my attendance,' he announced, throwing her a crooked smile. 'You have to come, too.'

Her smile instantly evaporated. 'I...well, I need to catch up with my staff evaluations...'

'It's only one evening,' he pointed out, bouncing her own excuse right back at her.

Obviously realising this was one argument she wasn't about to win, she nodded. 'All right, I suppose since I was part of that whole debacle on the planet two years ago, it seems fitting I should attend, too.'

'Good. Well, you make some kind of deal to ensure that crazy witch won't be at this hoe down, and I might just turn up.'

'I'll do my best.'

'I'm sure you will. Can I go now?'

'Of course. I'll update you tomorrow,' she said, turning to her laptop and making herself look busy.

'Looking forward to it.' He pushed up from the chair, remembering now that he had more urgent matters to attend to, like washing, changing his clothes, and eating enough for six to settle his ravenous appetite. All that after he'd answered the inexorable call of Mother Nature, of course. Now, there was one woman he didn't mind obeying.

**A/N Reviews are gratefully received and will be replied to if they are fair and/or constructive. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thank you for all the reviews and story alerts so far, but there are lots of you still not leaving a comment! I'd like to hear what you think.**

The breeze blowing across the balcony brought the late morning heat down to a pleasant temperature as Sheppard sat at a table outside the mess hall, feet up, sipping coffee, and reading one of his comic books while enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the ocean view. He didn't get many moments to himself on Atlantis; his schedule was always hectic due to the various responsibilities that came with being the ranking military officer on base. But today he found himself with one hour free, and he meant to enjoy it to the full.

Of course, his plans were always subject to change; that was one of the more immutable laws of life in the Pegasus Galaxy.

He sensed as much as saw Elizabeth when the mess hall door opened to let someone else out to join him. He tried very hard not to acknowledge her, even as she pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down, waiting for him to look up at her. Realising she wasn't about to take the hint, he reluctantly dragged his eyes up from the page he was reading.

'Good morning, Colonel.'

'Oh, you're back already,' he replied, matter-of-fact, tossing his comic onto the tabletop.

Elizabeth turned it round and examined the cover as she spoke. 'Yes I am, and I'm here to tell you to get your glad rags on, because you're going to a party tonight.'

Sheppard squinted back at her, swinging his legs off the table. 'They agreed to keep Sarayah away?'

'No need. She's no longer living on Medulsa.'

He frowned, then squinted some more. 'Say again?'

'Apparently, she was having difficulty settling into the new social structure, so she decided a more nomadic lifestyle might suit her. She probably likes not having anyone else to answer to.'

'Yeah, that sounds about right,' Sheppard replied, trying his best to keep the sourness from his tone. 'But what's stopping her from turning up tonight?'

'Well, at the time she left, the Medulsans had been about to imprison her for violent crimes against various members of the village. Leaving was her get-out-of-jail-free card, and they gave her strict instructions she was not allowed to set foot on the planet again without their express permission. Alishia told me Sarayah had been involved in a large number of very physical altercations with several men in the community and was considered a disruptive influence. They're not exactly about to welcome her back with open arms after that.'

Sheppard chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. It wasn't exactly a guarantee, but since she was under threat of jail it seemed pretty unlikely she would turn up that evening, especially during the two-hour window he planned to be there. Of course, this could all be a trick to get him back to the planet, but surely the men of Medulsa wouldn't play along so readily. No...no he was just being paranoid; time to rein it in.

'So, did all the men look well?' he asked, masking his suspicion in what sounded like a genuine question.

'Yes, they did. Balfor asked after you. He's doing remarkably well considering he had the sickness when you left him behind. I guess the medicines Carson sent to the planet worked for him. Perhaps we'll be able to get some blood samples from him given time. Carson might be able to figure something out from it.'

'Well, it's good to hear he's better, but I wouldn't go holding your breath on getting anything useful from his blood after two years,' Sheppard replied. He'd often wondered about the Balfor, feeling guilty for leaving without knowing if he would make it, or even whether anyone would take him the medicine he needed. Thankfully, it seemed they had. 'So, what time do I have to be ready to head out tonight?'

Elizabeth checked her watch. 'Well, due to the time differences between here and Medulsa, I estimate you should aim to be ready to set off in about five hours.'

He checked his watch, too. 'Okay.'

'And I've cleared your schedule for the day, so don't think you can make any excuses for not being ready on time,' she added.

He raised his eyebrows in an expression of pure innocence. 'The thought never crossed my mind. So, are you meeting me in the jumper bay, or should I swing by your office when it's time to go?'

Suddenly looking sheepish, Elizabeth struggled to answer his question. 'Ahhh, well...you see...I can't actually make it now. There's an urgent matter I need to discuss with General Landry at the SGC, and he can only speak with me at the time you need to be going.'

Sheppard wasn't one hundred percent convinced with her explanation. He figured if this supposed talk was happening at all, she'd deliberately set it up for that time. 'I don't mind waiting until you've finished,' he offered.

'Well, that's very kind of you, but I got the impression it could be quite a lengthy discussion. Tell you what...if it finishes in reasonable time, I'll get Major Lorne to fly me through to join you there.'

'Sure you will,' he replied, smirking at her over his now folded arms. 'Does this mean I'm expected to go there alone now?'

'No, of course not. You can take whoever you like, I'll clear their schedules, too.' She stood up now, pushing his comic book back toward him. 'Anyway, I wouldn't want to keep you from your important work any longer.' She took a few steps toward the door then stopped and spoke to him again. 'I know this isn't easy for you, John, but I really appreciate it; I hope it goes well tonight.'

'Yeah...you and me both,' he muttered as she walked away.

He watched the ocean for a while longer, hoping the fresh air and rolling waves would calm his nerves, but they didn't. He had a horrible suspicion this evening was going to be a painful experience, even if Sarayah wasn't going to be there. Parties weren't really his thing, especially when he wouldn't be allowed to drink since he had to fly back through the Stargate.

After another hour had passed, and many of the crew began to arrive for their lunch, Sheppard quickly grabbed something to eat, and tucked his comic in his back pocket ready to go back to his room. Then, realising he only had four hours left before he had to leave, he figured he should put some effort into finding someone to accompany him on his trip. Thankfully, he knew just the trio of people to start with.

oooOOOooo

'Of course I will travel with you. Making amends with the Medulsans could prove very useful in our attempts to find an effective weapon against the Wraith,' Teyla said, her eyes still closed as she sat crossed-legged and seemingly in a semi-meditative state on the floor of her room.

Sheppard frowned as he watched her, wondering how she could talk and meditate at the same time. 'You're sure, because this might get pretty boring and I don't want you holding this against me.'

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. 'You seem to forget I have been to many such festivities. I am sure the Medulsans hope to honour you with their celebrations, and I would very much like to see the changes in their society.'

'Well, if you're sure you want to go, I could definitely use the company.'

The door opened behind him. 'Why. Where you goin'?' he heard Ronon ask.

He turned to face his friend. 'I've been invited to a celebration in my honour on a planet called Medulsa, and I'm looking for volunteers to go with me. You interested, big fella?'

'Medulsa?' the huge Satedan repeated thoughtfully. 'Isn't that the planet with the hot chick who kicked your ass?'

Sheppard pressed his lips together to stop the first answer that sprang to mind falling out. 'And who told you that...as if I can't guess.'

'McKay's mentioned it once or twice. Don't worry, buddy; if you need a bodyguard, I'm your man,' his friend grinned, pulling his gun from his thigh holster and twirling it around on his index finger.

'Thanks for the offer, but that won't be necessary. Apparently, the "hot chick" now lives elsewhere.'

'Is that so?' Teyla asked thoughtfully. 'I suppose it must have been very difficult for someone like her once the hierarchy in the village changed.'

'Yeah, must've been tough. My heart bleeds for her,' Sheppard sneered. Ronon grinned and nodded. 'So, you comin'?' the colonel asked him.

Ronon's face screwed up in consideration. 'I don't know...'

'There may be good ale...or at least a stout wine,' Teyla said by way of temptation.

His expression unchanged, Ronon asked, 'What time are we leaving?'

That was answer enough for Sheppard. Ronon was a man after his own heart; his pleasures in life were few and simple, and mostly revolved around alcohol. 'Be in the jumper bay in two hours.'

'Okay. You guys comin' for somethin' to eat?'

Sheppard told him he'd already eaten, but Teyla agreed to join him in the mess hall a little later. He grumbled something about saving her a seat and headed back out of the room.

'Do you intend to ask Rodney if he would like to join us?' Teyla asked Sheppard after the Satedan had left.

'That's the plan,' he nodded.

She looked immediately doubtful. 'I am not certain he will agree. I do not believe he is the type to engage in such...activities.'

'Oh, he might surprise you,' Sheppard smirked. 'The quiet ones sometimes do.'

Teyla stood and followed him to the door, apparently keen to see how his conversation with the scientist would turn out. 'I'm not sure many people here on Atlantis would describe Rodney as quiet,' she told him with a playful smile.

'Hmmm...you may have a point,' he mused, 'but I'll ask him anyway. If he's there, at least I won't have to be the designated driver at my own party. Even McKay could manage that short trip.'

oooOOOooo

'The answer's no.'

Sheppard had barely set foot in McKay's lab before he fired the rebuttal at him. They'd worked together for two and a half years now, and he could recognise the colonel's combat-booted swagger anywhere. He had a casual, almost lazy gait that ate up the ground with a surprising efficiency he couldn't match. He'd trotted alongside him enough times to know that to his detriment.

'But you don't even know the question,' Sheppard replied, doing his best to look hurt.

'Ahh, but that's where you're wrong,' McKay smirked, holding up a finger in front of Sheppard's quizzical face. 'I spoke to Elizabeth a few minutes ago, so I know exactly why you've come here. You're going to Medulsa tonight for some kind of thank you party, and she can't make it. So I'll give you the same answer I gave her when she suggested I accompany you. No way.'

Teyla, now standing beside him, tried her best to change his mind. 'Rodney, you work far too hard. You should take this as an opportunity to relax and...enjoy the pleasantries a different culture may have to offer.'

He could tell she was reaching, and figured she knew better than any of them how tedious these events could be. If even Teyla was struggling to make it sound like a positive event, there was no way he was setting foot in the place. 'I had quite enough of their culture when I was there two years ago, thank you very much,' he assured her, burying his head into the three laptops he had running simultaneously on his workstation. Did these people really think he had time to waste on such trivialities? Besides, didn't they understand that quantum equations and astrophysics _were_ relaxation to him?

Sheppard lifted up the top slice of bread in a sandwich Rodney had grabbed for his lunch, peering at the contents, and McKay snatched it away from him protectively. Did the man have no respect for other people's food at all?

'Well, I don't think they've invited us back there just to kick our butt's again,' Sheppard pointed out, plunging his hands in his pockets as he smirked at him. 'This is supposed to be a party to thank us for bringing about positive changes in their world. And, since you were a major player in bringing about that change, it only seems right that you share their thanks with me.'

McKay sat back from his work for the first time and fixed him with a sneering scowl. 'Uncharacteristic as it is of me to shy away from acclaim, on this occasion I'm happy to say the thanks are deservedly all yours. I want no part of it.'

'Hey, those men would still be living as slaves if you hadn't fixed that machine,' Sheppard pointed out.

Rodney could see what he was trying to do and was having none of it. There was no way Sheppard was turning this round on him. The Medulsans wanted to thank him, and he was happy for Sheppard to enjoy the limelight for once. 'And if you hadn't selflessly volunteered to stay and help those men get free, we wouldn't have ever found out about the device. Really...much as it pains me to say this...you were the hero on that occasion.'

Sheppard looked into McKay's blue eyes, challenging him until the scientist had to avert his gaze. 'It doesn't pain you at all, you coward. You're just scared you might have to see Alishia again.'

They really had worked together for too long if Sheppard could read him that easily, Rodney realised. 'Look, you have no idea how frightening it is to see a huge, buck-naked woman running toward you out of the darkness. I still have nightmares now.'

Sheppard exchanged a glance with Teyla, and Rodney watched her wrestling with the urge to laugh. 'Oh, that's right. Make fun of the scientist, why don't you? I'm sorry, but we're not all cut out for dealing with things like that, okay?'

'Rodney, they're not going to be running around naked; it's a thank you party, not an orgy,' Sheppard told him.

'You don't know how these people say thank you. That might be exactly what they have in mind, and I for one do not intend to be there to find out.'

Even Sheppard looked wary now. McKay couldn't honestly believe his friend had agreed to go back to the planet after the condition he'd returned in last time. Only luck had kept him alive, especially after taking a bullet in the thigh. Just thinking about how quickly he could have bled out if it had hit his femoral artery brought Rodney out in a cold sweat of hypochondria.

Teyla obviously sensed Sheppard's worry and tried to set his mind at rest. 'I am certain whatever the Medulsans have in mind, they would not make you do anything you were not comfortable with at a celebration in your honour, Colonel.'

That seemed to settle any anxieties the colonel had after Rodney's wild suggestions, and he bounced right back to trying to make him feel bad about not going. 'You're gonna wish you'd come when we come rolling back to Atlantis in the early hours,' he told McKay, apparently giving him one more chance to change his mind.

'No...no I honestly don't think I will,' McKay said, getting back to his work. 'You go ahead and have fun, though. I'll be thinking about you.'

'Sure you will,' Sheppard grumbled.

'I suppose this means you will now have to be the...how did you put it...designated driver?' Teyla asked the colonel with just the barest of smiles.

'Looks that way.'

'Oh, right!' Rodney spat, his temper finally flaring. 'So you didn't want to share the glory with me at all. You just wanted to off-load the flying on me!'

Sheppard shrugged. 'Well, it was just a thought, considering the party's in _my _honour.'

'Were you seriously considering getting wasted on a planet like that?' Rodney demanded, frightened by how much he sounded like his own mother as he said it. 'That's crazy!'

'I wasn't going to get drunk, Rodney. But a few drinks would have softened the blow of being there,' Sheppard told him.

'Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there is no way I'm going back to that place for any reason other than studying that Wraith weapon of theirs,' Rodney assured him, still seething. 'I should have known this wasn't about me having fun at all.'

'Rodney...you can come and_ I _will fly the jumper both ways,' Sheppard offered, trying to make peace.

'No,' Rodney squeaked. 'No...I know what you were thinking and you're not squirming out of this that easily. You owe me for this one. Besides, I've just set up all these diagnostics and programs, so I can't just leave all my equipment here without monitoring it.'

'Whatever, Rodney. You just stay here and play with your _equipment, _and we'll see you in the morning.'

The insinuation in Sheppard's comment was clear, but McKay chose not to rise to the challenge. He watched as Teyla and Sheppard walked away, suddenly feeling bad that he'd refused to go with his friend when he seemed unhappy about returning to the planet.

'You make sure you're careful out there,' he called after them, his voice sounding small and plaintive even to him.

Sheppard waved an acknowledgement and called, 'Yes, Dad,' over his shoulder to him.

Rodney stared at the now empty doorway for several more minutes after they'd departed, knowing he still had time to change his mind and join in the _fun_. But he already knew there was no way he could face going back there without Sheppard checking things out first. He had no desire to face the kind of torture he'd seen the colonel put through in those few hours he'd been there to witness it. Sheppard could handle that kind of thing, but he wasn't fool enough to think he was forged from the same mettle as his military friends.

No, guilty he might feel, but his place was in the lab until his genius was required with that Wraith weapon he'd fixed for them. Nothing less would budge him from his seat or his sandwich.


	3. Chapter 3

When he got to the jumper bay, Sheppard found Ronon already waiting for him. The Satedan had made no special effort with his appearance, other than to partially tie back his dreadlocks to keep them out of his face, but his clothes were the same ones he'd been wearing earlier. The colonel didn't mind that; he'd taken a shower and slipped on some clean BDU's, but he hadn't gone to much trouble, either. Dress uniform would have been far too formal in his opinion. Medulsa was pretty primitive in terms of development, after all. They were hardly likely to be sporting prom dresses and tuxedos when they got there.

He suddenly felt rather under-dressed, however, when Teyla turned up to join them.

She appeared to glide rather than walk into the room, wearing a very pretty traditional Athosian number that swept the floor as she walked. The pale colours of the satin-like materials enhanced the warm coffee tones of her skin, and for a moment the sight of her rendered him speechless. She spent so much time in uniform, albeit usually with an Athosian top beneath, that sometimes he forgot she wasn't just "one of the boys".

'Wow...you look...different,' he said, not wanting to say too much and potentially cause offence. He could feel Ronon grinning beside him, enjoying his awkwardness.

'Oh, this?' she said, looking down at herself and smoothing out a few unnoticeable crumples. 'This is a dress I have worn to many Athosian celebrations over the years. It is nothing special, but it is nice to have an occasion to wear it once again, rather than always wearing my uniform.'

'Oh, okay,' he said, looking down to his own clothing.

'Of course, as a military man you are expected to wear yours,' she said, clearly seeing his reaction. 'You are there to represent Atlantis', after all.'

'Maybe we should just get moving,' he suggested, checking his sidearm before slipping it back into his thigh holster. Though he'd decided against the P-90, he didn't intend to go there without any protection, no matter how much offence it might cause. With any luck, the Medulsans would simply view it as another part of his uniform.

'Is that thing really necessary?'

He turned to the source of that question, seeing Elizabeth now entering the jumper bay.

'So, you changed your mind, huh?' he smirked. 'Couldn't resist the lure of a Medulsan celebration...and our scintillating company?'

'No. I still have to talk with General Landry in a moment, but I wanted to wish you luck for tonight before you left.'

'Luck?' Sheppard exchanged a worried glance with his two companions. 'You think we need luck?'

'Well, we need this festivity to go well, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to give you my best before you all set off,' she said, clasping her hands behind her back and flashing him a quick smile.

'No pressure then?' he quipped. 'And in answer to your question...yes, this is necessary, because it's the only way I'm setting foot back in that place. You're lucky I'm not taking grenades, too.'

'In that case, I'd better let you go before you change your mind,' she smiled.

He gestured for his two friends to climb into Jumper 6 in front of him, then got on board and made the preparations for flight. Once ready, he took the craft down to the 'gate room and waited for the crew in the control room above them to dial up Medulsa's address. As the event horizon flashed into life, he took a deep breath and set the jumper in motion. The sooner they got there, the sooner he could head back – at least that was his theory. With any luck, this would be the last time he would have any direct dealings with the place. After this, he figured he had the right to delegate any future contact.

The puddle jumper emerged almost instantaneously on the other side of the wormhole, and Sheppard took in the familiar landscape, now bathed in moonlight. He took the ship over what had once been the main slave encampment near the 'gate, finding only cattle stationed there. That had to be a good sign, although the sight of Sarayah's personal hut still standing beside what now served as the cattle shed set his heart pumping a little quicker than normal. _It's just a building, _he told himself. But the flashes of memory the sight of it evoked told him it represented much more than that to his subconscious mind. He pushed them back into the compartment his brain had shut them away in almost two years ago and kept going, letting them fester there.

In the distance, they could make out a dim glow in the darkness in the direction he knew the village lay. The fires were burning, ready for their arrival.

'So, are we ready to party?' he asked his friends.

'Ready as we'll ever be,' Ronon replied, clapping him on the shoulder.

'Then I guess there's no point in putting this off any longer,' he sighed, taking their craft toward the Medulsan settlement. He set it down at the tree line surrounding the village, watching through the windshield as a number of villagers began making their way through the houses toward them.

The very sight of the place had his stomach tying itself up in knots, even if the locals were approaching him with smiles rather than scowls this time. Why had he agreed to this? He should have argued his point more strongly with Elizabeth and refused to go.

'Colonel, perhaps we should disembark to greet them?' Teyla suggested, touching him lightly on the arm to get his attention.

'Er...yeah, sure,' he agreed. 'After you.'

Ronon lead the way, with Sheppard bringing up the rear. He soon realised he knew the woman leading the pack heading their way, although he almost didn't recognise her in the modest dress she wore.

'Colonel Sheppard,' Alishia called, rushing toward him and snatching up his hand, grasping it between hers warmly as she gave him the broadest smile her face could accommodate. 'Dr Weir advised us of your promotion in rank, one richly deserved, I am certain. We are highly honoured that you agreed to join us this night. We have long hoped you would return so we could properly thank you for the changes you helped to set in motion for our people.'

Sheppard glanced round at Teyla, who smiled encouragingly. 'Well, to be honest, I wasn't sure you guys would want to see me again,' he replied, hoping his smile didn't look as fake as it actually was. 'Allanae made it pretty clear she wanted us out as quickly as possible last time I was here.'

'Well...Allanae was an old woman set in her ways...but even she saw the benefits of the changes you affected before she died.'

'Well, I'm glad she appreciated things eventually – and you're welcome for the help.'

'And Teyla, isn't it?' Alishia said, now releasing her killer grip on him and taking Teyla's hand instead. 'It is good to see you again under better circumstances.'

'It is good to see you, too,' Teyla said, smiling warmly and adding her free hand to the greeting. 'It has been many days...too many.'

'And what of the young warrior and the scientist who were here with you last time? Were they unable to join us for the festivities?' Alishia asked.

Sheppard hadn't given any thought to the fact Ford had been there with him during his incarceration on Medulsa, so the question caught him like a sucker-punch. He'd locked all thoughts and regrets about his second-in-command away to examine at a time when he was no longer a military commander, and facing such an innocent query forced him to momentarily acknowledge the loss while he was unprepared for it.

As if sensing it might be difficult for him to find the words to explain their absence, Teyla stepped in and spoke up on his behalf. 'Dr McKay's talents are much in demand on Atlantis. He was required to remain behind, but sends his regards.'

Sheppard gave her a look that said _Liar_, but he didn't comment.

'Well, he was certainly skilled with the technology of the Ancestors,' Alishia conceded. 'And your young friend...is he helping him?'

Teyla's normally serene expression cracked for just a moment, expressing the pain she obviously still felt on the subject. 'Unfortunately not. Lieutenant Ford fell in battle with the Wraith some time ago.'

Alisha's smile dropped at that news. 'I am sorry to hear that. You have my condolences for the loss of your friend. The Wraith are a scourge we thankfully no longer have to fear, and your young friend played his own part in ensuring that.'

'Well...he went down fighting and taking some of them with him...I know that's the way he would have wanted it,' Sheppard said quietly, using one of the lines he'd fed himself numerous times during the first few days after losing him. Although part of him knew it was true, it still seemed a hollow victory.

Alishia nodded her understanding, then turned her attention to Ronon, who loitered silently behind Sheppard's right shoulder.

'I do not believe I know you yet,' she said, stepping forward and grasping Ronon's huge hand in hers. 'I am Alishia, Elder of Medulsa.'

'Uh...Ronon...Ronon Dex,' the Satedan grunted, giving her an odd look.

'You must feel well protected with such a fine specimen of a man at your side, Colonel Sheppard,' Alishia gushed, not taking her eyes off Ronon for a second.

If he wasn't mistaken, Alishia had taken a liking to his handsome friend. 'Absolutely,' Sheppard agreed, fighting off the urge to laugh. 'And call me John. We're all friends here, right?'

'That we are,' she said, still gazing with admiration at the Satedan. 'Come, we should return to the village. We have set out a great feast for you...and there will be music and dancing.'

'Sounds great. Lead the way,' Sheppard said, hoping he'd successfully hidden his grimace at the mere mention of dancing. Skilled, and some might even say graceful, he might be in battle, but when it came to any requirement to move in time with a musical rhythm, he was beyond hopeless.

'Now you are here, the celebrations can begin,' Alishia beamed, leading Ronon away with her.

The Satedan threw a look back over his shoulder that demanded they help him. Sheppard and Teyla merely exchanged a brief look, stifled their laughter, and followed on. Alishia had proved an ally in a time when Sheppard had needed a friend; worried as Ronon might be, the colonel was confident she would not make his friend do anything he was uncomfortable with...as if anyone could.

Alishia led them back to the village's cooking fire, where several tables had been brought out of homes and set out with a variety of delicious looking foods. The smells emanating from them alone were mouth watering, and the colours and decorative displays only added to their allure.

'Maybe coming here wasn't such a bad thing after all,' the colonel mused, putting on his best smile as several of the villages, some men whom he recognised from his imprisonment, gathered around them to give their thanks and to welcome him.

Suddenly, a face he knew well forced his way to the front of the group, and Balfor grasped the colonel's forearm firmly, his smile of welcome sincere and quite clearly emotional. 'Sheppard – it is good to see you again,' the old man croaked, his eyes brimming with tears.

'I'm glad to see you, too,' Sheppard smiled, returning the gesture. 'And you're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you.'

'I owe you so much, young man. You saved my life, several times, and I wasn't nearly as grateful as I should have been.'

Sheppard clapped his free hand on Balfor's shoulder. 'Don't give it another thought, Balfor. I'm just glad to see you doing so well now. So, are you joining us for the celebrations?'

Balfor shook his head, with a sad smile. 'I am far too old for such things. I just wanted to make sure I told you how much I appreciate what you did for me. Now I plan to get to my bed. Perhaps I will see you again another day?'

'Yeah...perhaps,' Sheppard said, feeling guilty for lying since he had no real intention of returning there once he'd passed what might be considered a polite amount of time with them.

As Balfor headed off toward his home, the Atlanteans were all ushered to their places at the head of the celebrations and invited to sit on a selection of elaborately embroidered cushions that had been laid out at a comfortable distance from the heat of the cooking fire. The Medulsans had a simple life, and they dressed in a very indistinct way. He doubted the cushions were of their own design, rather something they had traded for since they didn't have the means to make something so decorative themselves.

Somewhere on the far side of the fire, he heard music strike up; pipe and drum music – simple instruments, just like everything else in Medulsan life. It was a pleasant sound, not entirely to his taste, but he supposed he could put up with it for an hour or two.

Alishia hovered nearby as villagers handed them platters baring a selection of the delicious foods prepared in his honour, excitement lighting up her eyes, particularly when she looked Ronon's way.

The Satedan leaned over toward him. 'Looks like I'm the one who needs a bodyguard,' he rumbled in Sheppard's ear.

The colonel just shrugged. 'Alishia's a sweet woman; you could do a lot worse.'

He watched Ronon eyeing her now she'd turned away to talk to someone else. She was still a formidable woman, tall and broad, but though it was hard to tell considering how different her attire was to her prison warden uniform, it looked to Sheppard as if she might have lost a little of the bulky muscle she'd previously sported.

'If you say so,' his friend grunted, biting into something resembling a leg of chicken, tearing the meat from the bone in a way that reminded him of a wild animal ripping up its prey.

Sheppard tucked into his own meal with equal gusto, if a little more finesse. He hadn't eaten before leaving Atlantis, so was grateful the food was both plentiful and palatable. Teyla ate more delicately, taking only small mouthfuls while keeping an eye on the proceedings.

'It certainly seems Sarayah is no longer among them,' she said, accepting a proffered cup of mulled wine with a gracious smile. 'I feel certain she would not have been able to resist making her presence known if she were.'

'Can we agree not to talk about her tonight...you're putting me off my food,' Sheppard complained, curling his lip.

'Of course. I shall not mention her again.'

The wine was free flowing from a number of large pitchers, but Sheppard couldn't resist the urge to check his drink for a certain odour. He only intended to take a sip to avoid causing offence, but one sip of anything suspect could leave him…vulnerable. Even though his eyes told him this was just an innocent celebration, his instincts nagged at him, insisting something wasn't quite right. Putting it down to his previous experiences there, and the fact he really didn't want to be at this celebration, Sheppard told himself to stop being paranoid and try to enjoy the night for what it was.

The villagers around him raise their cups as Alishia announced a toast to their guests. He raised his cup, too, and forced on a smile_. Just a couple more hours, then I'm outta here,_ he told himself, taking a sip of the drink held within it and savouring the warm sensation it burned on its way down his throat.

*****

After an hour and a half of festivities, Sheppard was ready to quit. Politely slipping himself from the grip of an over enthusiastic young woman, he trudged away from the dancing Medulsans and back to his cushion, throwing himself down on it.

Ronon smirked. 'Enjoying yourself, Sheppard?'

'Oh, yeah. I'm just peachy,' the colonel grouched, making himself comfortable.

Teyla returned from her own attempts to join in the fun, a little short of breath. 'Well, the Medulsans certainly know how to throw a celebration,' she gasped, pressing her hand to her chest as she tried to slow her heartbeat to normal.

'Tell me about it,' Sheppard grumbled. 'If one more person asks me to join them in a Medulsan Round, I may have to shoot them...or myself.'

Teyla tilted her head to the side and gave him a sympathetic smile. 'I think you have done admirably to keep up with the locals the way you have.'

He squinted back at her. 'You're a terrible liar. I looked like an idiot out there.'

'Not at all,' she corrected. 'And I am certain the Medulsans appreciate your efforts to join in.'

'Although I'm sure having my size 11 boots stamping all over their toes isn't quite what they had in mind,' he grumbled.

'No one seems to mind.'

'Well I do. Look, I might just take the jumper back to the 'gate and radio through to Atlantis, see what's holding Elizabeth up. I'd hate for her to miss out on all the _fun_.'

'You want us to come with?' Ronon asked, gazing up at him from his semi-recumbent position while he enjoyed another platter of food.

Sheppard shook his head. 'No need. I'll be fifteen minutes tops. Besides, it looks kind of ungrateful if we all leave. Keep them sweet till I get back...no trouble, right?'

'We will be fine, Colonel,' Teyla assured him.

'Of course you will. If anyone asks, tell them I'll be back soon.'

He trudged off toward the tree line beyond the village where he'd left the jumper, cursing Elizabeth under his breath. Why the hell had he let her talk him into this? Diplomacy was her thing, not his. He figured it was time for her to get her ass through the 'gate and play her part in the proceedings she'd set up without consulting him. He'd done enough already.

Pulling his remote from his pocket, he waited until he was a few feet away to activate the jumper and lower the rear hatch.

The noise of that covered the approach of the three men pursuing him, so he had no idea what hit him when he suddenly felt himself jerked backwards. His feet lifted from the ground, and his mouth was covered by a rag dowsed in a sweet-smelling and breath-stealing oil that felt cold and slick against his lips. It immediately weakened his responses as he bucked and twisted in his captors' hands, trying to reach for his earpiece to call for backup.

Not a single word was said by any of his assailants as he struggled against them, their faces covered in dark paint to camouflage them in the shadowy woodlands from which they had emerged. He tried to get a clear look at them, to work out who they were, but everything was wrapped in a shimmering haze that grew steadily more obscuring as whatever drugs they were using took hold. With each breath he felt his strength abandoning him, but he wouldn't give up, fighting with every last ounce of will power he had left in him until his limbs fell limp and his vision tunnelled. He was tired...so tired...some kind of anaesthetic...sleep…he needed to sleep now...

______________________________________________________________________

**A/N Thanks again for all the feedback. It's much appreciated. It's good to hear what people think.**


	4. Chapter 4

Teyla freed herself from the grip of yet another rowdy Medulsan male and fought her way through the other dancers to return to Ronon. She had been dancing for almost half an hour, and needed some time to catch her breath.

The Satedan looked sombre as she approached him, and she knew he was thinking the same thing she was.

'He has still not returned?' she clarified.

Her friend shook his head.

'I think we should go to the Stargate and see what is taking so long.'

Alishia strode over to them, evidently spotting their serious expressions. 'Is there some problem. Where is Colonel Sheppard?'

'The colonel needed to contact Atlantis, but we were expecting him back by now,' Teyla told her. 'He was heading back to the 'gate in our ship, so it should not have taken him long.'

'But your vessel hasn't moved. It is exactly where you left it when he brought you here, and to my knowledge it hasn't left or returned,' Alishia told them. 'I was in my kitchen preparing more food but a few moments ago, and I can see it from my window. It is only just visible, but I know I was not mistaken.'

Teyla felt her heart miss a beat at Alishia's words. If the jumper was still there and hadn't moved, then Sheppard hadn't made it back to the craft. She looked at Ronon, who was already up on his feet and striding toward the edge of the village in search of their friend.

'Perhaps he has been delayed by someone who wished to talk to him,' Teyla suggested as she and Alishia hurried to catch up to him.

'That's what I'm worried about.' Ronon tapped his earpiece. 'Sheppard, you there?'

His question met with silence.

Feeling slightly panicked now, Teyla tried to hail him herself. 'Colonel Sheppard, this is Teyla. Please respond.'

Again, they received no acknowledgement of their call.

'Somethin's definitely up,' Ronon growled, breaking into a fast jog.

'Colonel Sheppard, please respond,' Teyla tried one last time as she ran along behind him, Alishia still beside her.

'I hope everything is all right,' the Medulsan said, her eyes scouring their surroundings for any sign of the missing man, but a deep darkness had now descended and made it hard to see anything more than a few feet away.

'He's probably just hidin' out to avoid more dancin',' Ronon quipped, but even though it was intended as a joke, Teyla knew he was worried.

As they rounded the back of the jumper, they found the rear hatch open, but no sign of Sheppard.

'Where could he have gone?' Teyla breathed, looking around the clearing.

'Well, one thing's for sure, he never made it inside the jumper,' Ronon said, pausing on the rear hatch, before heading inside.

'How can you be certain of that?' Alishia asked.

Ronon re-emerged from the craft carrying a torch he'd pulled out of the jumper's supplies. 'Because there were no footprints leading in there before I went in,' he said, shining his light into the jumper for the two women to see what he meant. There was, indeed, only one set of dirty boot prints heading in and out again, and the size made them too large to be Sheppard's.

Teyla watched as Ronon shone the torch around the area, searching for clues. The Satedan was the best tracker she'd ever known; if anyone could find a trace of the colonel, he could. And it didn't take him long.

'Found somethin'.'

He bent down and picked up an earpiece from the dirt, half covered in filth and damaged, as if it had been stepped on.

'This can't be good,' he said. 'There's three sets of footprints other than Sheppard's here. Looks like he was ambushed.'

'Could you tell if they were men or women?' Teyla asked, scanning the tree line as she spoke.

'By the size of the prints, I'd say they were all men,' he grunted.

'Then it was not Sarayah,' Teyla sighed, wondering why she felt some relief as she said that. Sheppard had been abducted by as yet unknown assailants; she should be worried for him whether Sarayah was involved or not.

'Sarayah?' Alishia looked confused by the suggestion. 'I told Dr Weir she left us many lunar cycles ago. She is forbidden to return here, so she could not have taken him.'

'Yes, we understand that, but, as we left, well, she displayed an unhealthy interest in the colonel –'

'There's only three sets of boots heading out of here – looks like they're carrying him,' Ronon announced, setting off at a sprint.

'Ronon!' Teyla called, taking off after him. 'What are you doing?'

'If they're carrying him back to the 'gate I might be able to catch them. I can run a hell of a lot faster than they can walk carrying Sheppard.'

And with that he disappeared into the tree line. Teyla ran after him, hitching up her skirts and cursing herself for not being more appropriately dressed, hoping she could keep her bearings when she lost sight of Ronon, as she knew she would. But she didn't have to worry for long. Alishia was suddenly there with her, grasping her wrist and pulling her along. 'This is the quickest way to the Ring of the Ancestors.'

The trees and underbrush pulled at her skin and hair, reminding her of the last time she had run from the village, forced out by its female inhabitants. She had been worried for Sheppard's safety then, but now had no idea what was happening to him or where his ambushers were taking him, and that filled her with a different kind of dread.

It seemed an age before they reached the other side of the woodland, but eventually they broke out of the trees and into a clear area outside what had once been the slave enclosure. Teyla could just make out Ronon through the darkness, but he was far ahead of them and disappearing over a rise she felt certain led down toward the 'gate. The brilliant blue light of the event horizon suddenly illuminated the night, and she heard Ronon give a primal roar as he redoubled his efforts to reach his friend in time.

By the time they reached the peak of the rise, Ronon was halted in front of the 'gate and it was already inactive.

After a momentary pause, Teyla darted down the slope to join him. He was staring into the ring, his face caught in a feral scowl. 'I didn't see the address. I wasn't quick enough.'

'You did all you could,' she said, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on his arm.

He pulled away from the contact, stalking several paces from the 'gate before sitting down and dropping his head into his hands as he tried to regain his breath.

Teyla sighed and began to dial Atlantis' address. Time was of the essence now. She had to alert Dr Weir of the situation so they could gather what information they could and begin the hunt for the missing colonel.

oooOOOooo

By the time Elizabeth made it through the 'gate, she was ready to wrestle a gun from one of the troops accompanying her and shoot Rodney herself. Using weapons went against everything she'd believed in for so long before travelling to the Pegasus galaxy, but sometimes McKay pushed her to her limits, even when he did have a point. In fact, she decided, if he mentioned the fact she'd forced Sheppard into making the trip to Medulsa one more time, she might feed his laptop to him just to get some relief from the nagging. As she looked around at the people gathered there she already felt painfully aware of the part she'd played in this calamity. What she had intended as a step forward for their expedition was swiftly turning into the biggest mistake she'd ever made; she didn't need his constant harassment to know that.

It was a relief to find Teyla waiting for her near the 'gate. The Athosian was one person she could trust to keep a level head in a crisis and not let personal feelings affect her judgement of a situation.

'Teyla. I need you to tell me exactly what happened,' she said, guiding her gently to one side while Rodney began to download the last fifty addresses stored in the DHD. Even at that distance she could still hear him moaning about the fact he'd had to come through to the planet when he didn't want to.

'We do not know exactly,' Teyla told her, casting a glance Ronon's way. Alishia was sitting beside him, speaking quietly to him, but he didn't lift his head from his hands. 'The colonel had been participating in the festivities as you requested, then decided he should contact you to ascertain whether or not you would be able to attend. He planned to take the jumper to the Stargate and make radio contact from there, but by the time we realised he was late returning...well, we discovered the jumper was where we had left it and there seemed to have been a struggle nearby. Ronon found the colonel's earpiece and some footprints suggesting three men had ambushed him. We headed for the Stargate as soon as we realised what had happened, but we were too far behind them. They got through, and the Stargate shut down before Ronon could get to the DHD and read the address they had dialled.'

'I see,' Weir said, her heart sinking at the fact her failure to attend meant Sheppard had left the village to contact her. Why had she scheduled that talk with Landry to avoid the celebration? She'd pushed him into it and then pulled out because she'd thought it too trivial an event to attend considering her workload. But at least it didn't sound like Sarayah had taken him. If that had been the case it would have made the situation even more unbearable. 'And did either of you get a decent look at the people abducting him?' she asked hopefully.

'I did not,' Teyla confessed. 'But I am unsure whether Ronon saw anything of use. He is angry at himself for failing to help Colonel Sheppard and has not said much since the Stargate shut down.'

'Okay, leave it with me,' Elizabeth smiled, side stepping Teyla and heading over to where he was sitting. 'Ronon, I understand you were the first one to make it here when Sheppard was taken through the 'gate. I need to know whether you saw anything that might help us to identify them.'

'I didn't get the address,' he grunted without looking up at her.

'I know. Teyla told me. But did you get a look at the people going through the 'gate. Even the smallest detail might help us to identify them.'

'He shouldn't have been here. He didn't want to come.'

Weir flicked a glance toward Alishia, who looked perturbed by that news, but there wasn't time to worry about hurt feelings. 'Ronon, we can discuss that later. Right now, I need you to focus.'

'He came because you insisted –'

'Ronon...please,' she almost begged. She really didn't want Alishia to know about all the plotting and bargaining that had gone on behind the scenes to get the colonel there. It wasn't good for diplomatic relations between their two peoples to know Atlantis' motives were mostly driven by the technological benefits they could gain from studying the planet's defence system, rather than purely building up a firm trading partnership. 'I need you to think about what you saw.'

He shrugged, at last lifting his eyes to meet hers. His anger was seething and barely controlled. Her throat closed up in response as she wondered what he was about to do. 'It was dark; I couldn't see much of anything...but I know there were three of them,' he growled, his glare burning into her.

'Are you sure the people you saw leaving through the 'gate had Sheppard with them?' she asked. If it had been that dark, it was possible he'd made a mistake and the colonel could still be on the planet somewhere.

'The biggest of them was carrying someone over his shoulder. I'm guessing that was Sheppard...unless someone else is missing.'

'Okay,' Elizabeth conceded. 'You have a point. So, is there anything else you can remember about them at all? Any distinguishing features, what they were wearing?'

He shrugged, standing and walking away from her, his shoulders hunched in anger. Figuring she'd pushed him as far as she could for the moment, she turned to Rodney at the DHD. 'How's it going, Rodney?'

'I'll have it finished in a second, for all the good it'll do us,' he grumbled. 'For all we know, he could have been taken through another five, ten, twenty, gates even since leaving here and then we'll have –'

'All right, Rodney, I get it,' she said firmly, pushing her hair back from her face with a swift sweep of fingers. 'But let's suppose for now that hasn't happened and use the information you've gathered to figure out which of those addresses is the most likely to be the one he's been taken to, shall we?'

'Oh, yes. Of course. And how exactly would you suggest we do that?' he huffed disconnecting his laptop from the DHD, and slipping it under his arm as he straightened up. 'Should I break out my crystal ball?'

'We'll narrow it down the way we always do, Rodney,' she replied, trying to stay calm. She was starting to get a migraine from all of his whining, and was finding it difficult to think straight. She needed everyone co-operating, not arguing with her.

'And what if they're all viable addresses? It'll take an age to check them all out, by which time...' his voice petered out, for once refusing to put his fears into words, but Elizabeth knew what he meant without all the usual dramatics.

'I get it, Rodney,' Elizabeth told him firmly. 'But if someone went to the trouble of taking him with them, I'm willing to bet they need him alive...at least for the moment. So, let's get back to Atlantis and start figuring this thing out before his usefulness runs out.'

'Uniforms.' Ronon span round to face them now, his mouth caught in a snarl. 'I only saw their silhouettes against the light from the Stargate, but I think they may have all been wearing the same style of clothes. Like a uniform...'

Elizabeth nodded. 'That's good...that's good.' It wasn't a firm clue, but it could be a starting point. 'Alishia,' she said, turning to the Medulsan elder. 'Do you have dealings with any other races who have military factions?'

'Some,' she nodded. 'Some send their military through to trade with us, others have spoken of possessing armed forces on their home worlds to protect them from the Wraith.'

'We're going to need their 'gate addresses from you, if you don't mind,' Elizabeth said, annoyed by the brusqueness of her own voice. When she was worried, her manner often stiffened and she bristled with efficiency, her normal affability disappearing along with her genuine calm, not the facade of control she wore now. In truth, she was panicking like crazy; Sheppard was missing, and she was indirectly responsible for it. They had to get him back. 'And I'd like you to come back to Atlantis with us to help us narrow down the search area if that's possible,' she finished, desperate to bring in everyone who might be able to help.

'Of course,' Alishia nodded. 'But I should return to my village first and alert them to what has happened. They can be my eyes and ears here while I am away. Then they can communicate anything that may be of use to us.'

'Sounds good,' Elizabeth said, giving the woman the warmest smile she could muster. 'Major Lorne, could you take Alishia back to the village and make sure someone trusted is given the means with which to communicate with us?'

'Yes, Ma'am,' he said, gesturing that Alishia should head into the jumper ahead of him.

'Okay people,' Elizabeth announced, making sure she had the attention of what remained of Sheppard's team. 'Let's get back to Atlantis and start identifying those addresses.'

Flashing her another scowl, Rodney dialled up the 'gate without another solitary word, an uncustomary silence that spoke volumes about how he felt. She didn't reprimand him because she figured she deserved it, even if Sheppard hadn't been snatched by the person she'd first feared had taken him. Still, she hoped the scientist would snap out of it soon, because she needed his full attention on the task at hand.

As the 'gate lit up, Rodney made an extravagant gesture signalling she should go first. Not having the will to argue, she dipped her head in mock thanks and strode past him, back to the safety of the city beyond.

**A/N I know, I know. Two chapters in one day. I don't normally do this, but I want to get on a five-chapters-per-week-and-weekends-off schedule and I couldn't post on Monday as I was staying with friends. So, this brings me on course for that.** **Thanks to everyone who left a review of the last chapter. I'm very grateful for all your opinions.**


	5. Chapter 5

In a dingy, windowless office, Supreme Commander Danteeras squinted at the latest progress report from Karafus, holding the datapad under his phosphorescent desk lamp to improve the illumination for his failing eyesight. He could have had treatment to correct his vision, but he was far too proud to admit there was a problem. Failing vision might be considered a weakness in someone such as him, and he could not show any sign of that. Fear and respect were the things that kept him in power; those things had to be maintained at all cost.

Poor vision was one of the many prices paid for a life led primarily underground. The artificial lighting led to eye problems and numerous headaches for many of his people, not to mention difficulty dealing with the strength of the sun's light when they did venture out, making it necessary to shield their eyes and protect their skin from the harshness of its rays. Suicide was not uncommon among his troops, the gloom seeming to exacerbate fears and drive those with delicate dispositions over the edge. Still, Atrasca could do without people like that. Weak-willed no hopers had no place in his army...nor in any aspect of his life.

A knock at his door disturbed him and he lifted his eyes from the report. 'What is it?'

His assistant, a young girl barely out of her teens, opened the heavy, power-assisted door, peering warily around it as if using it as some kind of personal shield. 'The surveillance team has returned from Medulsa, Supreme Commander. They say they have acquired their target.'

Danteeras stood up behind his desk, his expression flaccid with surprise. 'What? Truthfully? Where are they? When can they get him here?'

'They're just entering the compound now, Sir. They want to know if you wish to see him.'

'Well, of course I want to see him, girl. Send them in straight away.'

The girl's eyes widened in fear and she cowered a little further behind the door. 'Yes, Sir. Right away, Sir.'

'Get on with it then!' he demanded, and she scurried away, the door clicking shut behind her.

Danteeras rounded his desk, hitching up his belt, which had slipped below his paunch, and buttoning his jacket to cover his bulges. Then, perching on the front edge of the highly polished surface, he waited for his surveillance team to arrive. They had been ensconced on Medulsa for many months now, waiting for the target to show up. He'd almost forgotten about them, they'd been there so long with no success. Now, with his research team's recent discovery, the timing of their target's abduction couldn't be sweeter.

After a few impatient moments of waiting, another knock heralded the team's arrival. His assistant opened the door and pushed it wide open for them as two men carried Sheppard in, one gripping him under his arms and the other holding his ankles. They shuffled into the room, and then dropped their cargo on the rug in front of their leader.

'Target acquired, Sir,' Commander Thelbaar announced bowing to his commanding officer. His two sub-ordinates also bowed low to show their respect.

Ignoring them, Danteeras stepped forward, examining the man they'd brought before him. He was handsome, and far leaner than his own rotund physique, but other than that seemed rather unremarkable. 'Are you sure this is the one we've been looking for? He doesn't look special.'

'His name is John Sheppard, and the description fits,' his commander replied.

'Get the device. Top drawer on the left of my desk,'

Thelbaar signalled for one of his men to collect the item and bring it to Danteeras. The supreme commander got down on one knee beside the unconscious colonel and pressed it into his hand. The device immediately sprang into life, but without Sheppard's conscious input it did little except scroll screenfuls of unreadable language across its small screen. Danteeras supposed it might be instructions on how to use the device correctly, but that didn't matter to him. It was functioning in some capacity, and that was more than anyone else had managed in months of trying. 'Remarkable,' he breathed. 'It seems he is the one we have been waiting for after all.'

He took hold of Sheppard's jaw, turning his face toward him to take a closer look at their "guest". 'Strange hairstyle,' he muttered, examining Sheppard short, spiky locks.

'Yes, Sir. Clearly they cut their hair for some reason.'

'It seems to defy gravity.'

'It does indeed, Sir. It's an affront to Sherooan.'

No one on their home world ever cut their hair, a tradition that had been upheld for centuries in honour of the god Sherooan, historically depicted in all their ancient texts with flowing red hair. Of course, it wasn't practical to leave it loose as he did, so every person in Danteeras's forces wore their hair dressed in a binding from the nape of the neck, which was only replaced should it become damaged or need alteration due to further growth. The cutting of a person's hair was considered dishonourable in their society, and they viewed others who did so with distaste. Sheppard's hair was tantamount to blasphemy on Atrasca.

'Hmmm, well, there's no accounting for the cultures of other races, I suppose,' Danteeras sighed, crinkling up his nose in disgust. 'No matter, it will eventually grow out. Did he put up much of a fight?'

The commander shook his head. 'No, we were able to use the arral root oil to subdue him quite readily. He struggled a little, but gave us no real trouble.'

The supreme commander nudged the prostrate form before him with the toe of his boot and Sheppard groaned and stirred slightly, seeming as if he might wake. Thelbaar looked back at one of his men, then pointed to Sheppard. The soldier pulled a small bottle and a cloth from his pocket, pouring the pungent liquid contents onto the fabric wadding and covering the colonel's mouth and nose with it for several long seconds to ensure he wouldn't rouse. As he removed the cloth, Sheppard's head rolled to the side, his mouth slightly agape as he breathed deeply in his slumbers.

'Well, I have seen evidence enough that he is the one we need. I see no reason to delay moving him to Karafus before anyone has time to trace him here. You have done well, Commander. Once you have selected a team of ten soldiers to move this man to the crash site, you and your team can take some well deserved rest.'

The commander looked puzzled. 'Ten men? Are you sure we need to send so many.'

'We only have a four strong team on Karafus at the moment. If this man proves anywhere near as wily as has been suggested, they're going to need that many troops at least to ensure he reaches them.'

'Very well, Supreme Commander. I will select ten of the best soldiers we have and set them on their way.'

'Good, good. Ensure they're instructed to keep him sedated until they reach their destination. We don't want him escaping before we've had a chance to utilise him.'

'I will ensure they understand, Sir.'

The commander and his men bowed low, then collected their cargo from the rug and departed.

Danteeras returned to his seat at his desk and pondered the importance of the unspectacular man he had just seen. Using his ability to power the technology of the Ancestors, they could soon be a formidable force in the galaxy. No longer would they have to barter and trade for what they needed. Once they had acquired a large enough arsenal, they could take whatever they needed at no cost to themselves. Not only that, but the Wraith would no doubt think twice before tackling them if they moved their operations above ground. And he dearly wanted that. For too long he had spent the majority of his time in these underground chambers co-ordinating their efforts to design weaponry to rival that of the Wraith. But their hiding place constrained then from making the advancements he wanted. Some of their projects were simply too big to be carried out below ground.

Soon they would be able to raise their heads above ground and take their rightful place in the Pegasus Galaxy – then they would be a power to rival the scourge that had hounded them all of their lives.

oooOOOooo

The grinding of gears and squeak of poor suspension were the first things to meet Sheppard's ears as he slowly came back to his senses. The air tasted dusty, but he found his hands restrained behind his back when he tried to cover his mouth.

Intermittent popping sounds reminded him of the way a tank crushed stones as its tracks pulverised them. Did they have tanks in the Pegasus Galaxy? Was he even in the Pegasus Galaxy? For a moment utter confusion overwhelmed him, leaving him wondering if perhaps his trip through the 'gate from Stargate Command had never happened – that perhaps he was actually still in Afghanistan. But then he smelled the faint aroma of whatever strange brew they'd used to knock him out wafting to him on the slight breeze, and he realised he really had been rendered unconscious at the celebration.

He tried to open his eyes, but couldn't see anything, and although that caused him some momentary panic, he soon recognised the pressure of a blindfold pressing against his eyes. That, of course, was not a good sign either, and unless the Medulsans had a really bizarre way of unveiling pleasant surprises to their guests of honour, he'd somehow landed himself in trouble again.

His mouth was dry as toast, but he wasn't sure how asking for water might sit with his current company. He decided that, since it was unlikely he was going to die of dehydration in the near future, he would stay quiet and pretend to still be unconscious while listening out for clues as to who exactly was holding him.

'Thought this guy was supposed to be difficult to catch,' someone not too far away from him grunted. 'He's been out cold for hours now.'

'The commander says he's tricky. Don't assume he's still unconscious. Check him.'

Someone kicked him in the gut, and it took all his self-restraint not to react. Thankfully, it wasn't the hardest kick he'd ever taken, and though it winded him, the pain soon ebbed away.

'Nah. He's still unconscious. Sap!'

Sheppard clung to the only clue they'd given him about what was happening. _Commander._ The Wraith had commanders, but these guys didn't have those weird flanged voices that gave them away without the need for visual confirmation, and they would have hit him with a stunner shot, not drugged him. Unless these were Wraith worshippers like the ones he'd met on the Hive ship during Ford's crazy plan to prove the value of Wraith enzyme. He supposed they could be utilised to infiltrate human villages and lead the Wraith to people they wanted. But this commander had called him tricky. He didn't think he knew any Wraith that well, and it didn't particularly sound like the sort of word they would use. So, if not the Wraith, there was only one other commander he knew, and that was Kolya. Crap! If it was him, he was in some serious trouble. The last time they'd spoken he'd threatened to kill him on sight. He doubted Kolya would let a threat like that go unpunished.

'Hey, Fuulden. Stop the truck. I need to go!' a gruff voice called from somewhere behind him.

Sheppard heard the engine slow to an idle, followed by the sound of several pairs of boots shuffling past him before jumping down from the vehicle onto the dusty ground. He got the feeling he was alone in the truck now, so thought he'd make the most of the opportunity to fathom out exactly how deep the crap he'd landed in was.

Testing his bonds, he found them both tight and painful if he made even the slightest attempt to slip them. They seemed to be made of some kind of flexible metal with sharp edges, although he could tell there was some padding on the inside of his wrists where he could be in danger of damaging a major artery. They were obviously meant to be painful enough to deter attempts to struggle out of them, but not to pose a life-threatening danger.

_Smart,_ he thought. _Definitely not primitive, but they don't feel like Genii restraints either. _With any luck,he wouldn't find the exiled Genii leader waiting for him at the other end of this journey, although not knowing who to expect didn't make him feel all that much better about his situation.

He swivelled his ankles a little, finding them bound, too. So, no chance of running even if he could slip out of the truck unnoticed and manage not to fall over the first obstacle he couldn't see. Okay, so the idea of running was a bad one. It looked like he would have to wait for a better opportunity to arise before attempting an escape.

The sound of several people taking a pee was something he could have done without, but he kept the grimace from his face in case anyone was watching him. He was glad he hadn't had too much to drink at the celebration before these people grabbed him; at least he didn't have to go himself because listening to that would be torture.

'Come on, people, let's get moving again. The commander's expecting us before sundown. We don't want to be late.'

Sheppard got a sense this guy, Gritty as he'd chosen to refer to him, was older than him from the rough quality of his vocal chords, and that he was probably carrying more weight than he needed to. Funny how you could begin to build up a mental picture of someone with so little information to go on. At least it stopped him from dwelling too long on what exactly this commander wanted from him.

In only a few moments, the heavy boot thuds of people jumping back into the vehicle with him shook the baseboards he was lying on. Though worried they would step on him as they shuffled down to make room for each other, he didn't flinch to give away the fact he was awake, certain he could gain more information if he eavesdropped on their conversations.

In the end, they didn't talk about anything of use at all. They never referred to their senior officer as anything other than "the commander", and other topics tended to revolve around alcohol and food, typical fodder for such conversations. He worked out there were two women there, but couldn't determine exactly how many men there were. They all had a relaxed demeanour about them, which told him they weren't heading into any kind of front-line situation. Whatever mission these people were on was most likely some kind of reconnaissance, or a babysitting run, nothing life threatening or difficult.

When the vehicle ground to a halt, he felt the baseboards vibrate with the footfalls of his departing guardians again. He heard talking at a distance, but couldn't make out any clear voices or words.

The whole of the inside of his skull throbbed and interfered with his concentration. The drugs used to anaesthetise him were evidently still lingering in his system – he felt groggy and weak even though he hadn't even tried to move yet. That didn't stop him judging several people were now walking toward him from the sound of the approaching footfalls.

'He's still unconscious, Commander. I thought you said he would be difficult to control,' Gritty grunted with obvious amusement.

Sheppard resisted the urge to shout "surprise", figuring it wouldn't be in his best interests. He didn't catch the exact words the commander said in response to the comment, because someone chose to cough at that point, but he felt certain the voice had been female, and the last two words were "make sure".

From the rocking motion of the vehicle, he guessed someone then climbed into the back of the truck with him, and when a blade pressed to his throat hard enough to slice just a few layers of skin he knew he'd been right. He winced and instinctively pulled away, alerting all those present to the fact he was conscious after all.

'Well what do you know? Help him out of the truck,' he heard Gritty bark. Hands grabbed both of his arms and dragged him to the back of the truck, from where he was thrown down to the ground. He twisted, turning his head to the side to avoid landing on his face and breaking his nose. As a result his shoulder hit the ground along with his right hip, and the restraints on his wrists bit into his skin with the impact. He sucked in a breath through his gritted teeth, hoping he hadn't broken or severed anything vital. The cloud of fine, sandy dust disturbed by his fall billowed up into his face and he choked on it, coughing and hacking until his dry throat felt shredded.

To his surprise, he felt a hand clutch his chin, raise his head, and press a water flask to his lips, lubricating his arid mouth. He hadn't expected an act of kindness after the discomfort of the journey and his sudden descent from the truck, but it was definitely welcome and he drank gratefully.

'Where should we put him, Commander?' Gritty asked, standing somewhere to his left.

'Somewhere secure until these soldiers have had time to refresh themselves and rest.'

He stopped drinking instantly. That voice. He knew that voice.

There was a pause, then Sheppard felt a tug on his blindfold and it fell away. He tried not to look as horrified as he felt at the sight that met his eyes in the failing light of the setting sun.

With her hair swept back into an efficient and tightly dressed ponytail, she looked less feral than he remembered her, but the salacious look in her eyes was just exactly as he remembered it.

'Oh, you've got to be kidding!' he breathed, forcing himself not to shy away from Sarayah's gaze.

'Afraid not, Sheppard. You may have wrecked things for me in my last life, but now you can make amends by helping me with me new one. Put him in the hut.'

Two soldiers lifted him from the floor and dragged him along to a metal hut, where the flung him through the door and he landed on his cheekbone. He rolled carefully until he could get to his knees while inflicting the minimum amount of pain on his wrists.

He sat back on his heels just in time to see Sarayah's smirk as she slammed the door shut and he was left in virtual darkness, only the thinnest sliver of light shining in around the frame.

'Oh, yeah. It's just a celebration. What could possibly happen?' he breathed. 'Elizabeth Weir, you owe me big time.'

**A/N Thanks again to everyone reading, favouriting, and requesting story alerts. It's good to know people are still interested in this story. If you haven't left a review so far...go on, let me know what you think. :D**


	6. Chapter 6

Elizabeth welcomed Alishia to Atlantis as warmly as time allowed. The woman was clearly both fearful and overcome with awe at the sights around her, but remained calm and contained. Almost two hours had passed since Elizabeth and Sheppard's team had left Medulsa, so time was now of the essence.

She instructed Major Lorne to bring the Medulsan elder to the conference room, where Teyla, Rodney and Ronon were already waiting, quietly if not patiently. Elizabeth guided Alishia to a seat beside the scientist, something he was clearly uncomfortable with, and then she and the major quickly sat down.

'I am sorry it took longer than I expected to get here,' Alishia apologised. 'Many of my people were fearful they might be in danger themselves after Colonel Sheppard's abduction, so I had to reassure them and put measures in place to ensure they felt protected before I could leave.'

'We understand,' Elizabeth assured her. 'Dr McKay only finished collating the information he collected from the DHD on your planet a short time ago, so we couldn't have acted any sooner. Do you have someone able to contact us should your people hear any news?'

'Yes,' Alishia nodded. 'I asked Balfor to take over my role in my absence, and Major Lorne showed him how he could contact Atlantis. He claims to be old and foolish, but he is far from it. I know we can rely on him.'

'Good. Well, now you're here we should begin right away,' Weir said, casting her gaze around them all. 'Rodney has extracted the last fifty addresses from the Medulsan DHD, and his team are currently running through them to see which ones we can rule out. We've already removed five addresses, and I expect they will eliminate several more from the list within the next hour or so. While they're working on that, I thought it might be prudent if Alishia gave us the addresses of those races she trades with who have known military factions.'

McKay pushed a pad and pen toward her. 'If you would just draw the symbols on there, I'll compare them to the ones we've collected,' he explained, barely allowing his eyes to make contact with hers for more than a fleeting second.

She nodded and picked up the pen, swiftly examining it to ascertain the right way to use it, then scribbling out symbols. A few minutes later, she handed the paper back to Rodney and he scanned down her sketches, comparing them to his list.

'We have four matches,' he announced. 'And one of them is the Genii.'

'Then I think they may be our starting point,' Elizabeth mused, pushing up from her seat. 'Alishia, if you could give all the information you have about the three other races to Teyla and Ronon that would be very helpful. Rodney, get an update from your team in the lab and let me know if they've excluded any more planets. I'm going to give Ladon Radim a call. I figure he owes us after we protected him from Kolya.'

'Does he ever,' she heard Rodney mutter, as he picked up his laptop and followed her out of the conference room to head to the lab.

Elizabeth wasted no time in having her staff dial up the Genii home world and requesting to speak to their chief of military. It took a while to explain the urgency of the situation, though eventually the communications officer conveyed the message to him. Apparently, Ladon wasn't on hand to talk to her directly, which made her momentarily suspicious. But then, to her surprise, the Genii chief went one step further, having his communications officer tell her he would delegate the task currently keeping him from conversing with her to his second in command, thus enabling him to travel to Atlantis and speak to her in person. She agreed, exchanging a surprised look with Rodney who had joined her just as the last part of that message was communicated and the Stargate shut down. He passed her a datapad with his team's latest findings.

'That was very accommodating of Ladon – quick, too,' she breathed, not sure what to make of his reaction. She'd half expected the man to be conveniently unavailable, but it seemed he meant to avail himself to them completely.

'Well, perhaps he realises how much he owes us,' Rodney offered. 'Either that or he's trying to throw us off the scent.'

'Hmmm, that was my thought, too,' she confessed, checking her watch. It was almost half past seven in the evening. The longer it took to launch the rescue mission, the colder the trail got, and the guilt was digging a huge hole into her gut, leaving a cold emptiness only rectifying her mistake could fill.

Ten minutes later the Stargate fired up and they received the IDC issued to Ladon and the Genii. 'Let him through,' Elizabeth ordered, and the 'gate shield disappeared leaving it safe for him to travel through to them.

He stepped into the 'gate room, giving them his usual fake smile. Elizabeth couldn't shake the slight feeling of mistrust that always accompanied his arrival in their home, perhaps never would. It seemed to her that Ladon was the type who could stab just about anyone in the back if he thought it would secure his position as leader of the Genii, and their race as a recognisable power in the Pegasus galaxy.

She and Rodney descended the stairs from the control room to where he stood waiting for them, armed marines keeping him in their sights.

'Ladon. Thank you for coming so quickly,' Elizabeth said, trying to smile, but finding it too hard to keep up.

'You're welcome. I was completing my final duty for the day and was about to retire anyway,' he said, his grin cold and oily and leaving her with the strong desire to take a shower. 'The Genii are friends of Atlantis. If you need help, it's only right that we co-operate.'

'Then perhaps you'll follow us to the conference room and I'll explain everything there.'

'Of course. Lead the way.'

When they reached the room, it took all of Teyla's strength and powers of persuasion to restrain Ronon from rushing over to pound the little man to a pulp. Ladon flinched, ducking behind Elizabeth, an act she found both cowardly and insulting. Even Rodney, with his strong sense of self-worth, had never done that.

She ordered Ronon to back off, then pointed to a seat and told Ladon to sit in it. There was enough space between the two men to ensure his safety...as long as Ronon stayed in his chair.

Ladon looked around at the faces gathered there, spotting a new one among them. 'Alishia of Medulsa. What are you doing here?'

'She's here to help us, just as you are,' Elizabeth told him. 'Now, shall we get down to business?'

'Of course. I apologise. Dr Weir...please continue.'

'Thank you,' she said sharply, knitting her fingers together in front of her on the table. 'To bring you up to speed, Ladon, as of almost two hours ago, Colonel Sheppard was reported missing in action. He was on Medulsa when it seems he was ambushed by three men and taken through the 'gate to an unknown location. Ronon was the only one to catch a glimpse of the perpetrators, and he believes they were wearing a uniform.'

Now Ladon leaned back in his seat more casually, smirking. 'Colonel Sheppard is missing? And of course you would immediately assume our involvement,' he said to the Satedan. 'Si is this to be an interrogation?'

'Actually, Ronon never mentioned you,' Elizabeth clarified before an argument could ensue. 'And no, it isn't an interrogation. We contacted you after your address was discovered stored in the dialling device on Medulsa.'

'Well, we trade with them once a month or so. It's hardly surprising you would find it there,' he pointed out. 'That doesn't make us guilty.'

'No one is suggesting it does,' Elizabeth told him. 'But we have to explore every avenue, and as we already know you, we thought it would be easiest to eliminate you from our enquiries first.'

Though he didn't look convinced, he seemed to accept her explanation. 'I assure you we had nothing to do with this incident, Dr Weir,' Ladon replied, apparently in complete earnest. 'I owe both you and Colonel Sheppard a debt of gratitude for not handing me over to Kolya when you had the opportunity. This would be no way to repay him.'

'No it certainly wouldn't,' Elizabeth agreed, willing to believe him for the time being. 'So, what other races do we have on Alishia's list? Perhaps Ladon knows something about them that might help us identify potential culprits. You're happy to do that, I assume?'

'Of course,' he assured her.

'Alishia told us the other addresses belong to races known as the Talatians, the Atrascans, and the Nighwar. I have had dealings with the Nighwar myself in the past, and I know of no reason they should want to abduct Colonel Sheppard,' Teyla told her.

'I don't think they did it, either,' Ronon rumbled, looking frustrated they were wasting so much time on talking. 'It's not their style.'

'But you don't know anything about the others?' Elizabeth clarified. They shook their heads.

'I have had reason to cross paths with the Atrascans a few times,' Ladon announced, adding his knowledge to the proceedings. 'They're an aggressive race, always pushing for better deals than are offered in trade. They're renowned for their greed and...forceful negotiation skills.'

'That's true,' Alishia agreed. 'We have great difficulty keeping them to terms that are favourable to both parties...but we manage.'

'Really. Sounds like they could prove difficult if we try to question them,' Rodney said, looking worried.

'I have also recently received several reports from my scouts on various planets across the galaxy telling me the Atrascans have been enquiring about Lantean technologies, particularly weapons, based on those planets. Even those that have stopped working long ago. More than that, they've been making examinations and logging down details of them. We believe they're compiling some kind of database of the technologies left behind by the Lanteans when they fled Pegasus.'

'And have they enquired about the weapon on Medulsa?' Teyla asked Alishia.

She nodded. 'They have asked about it, but we have never allowed them to see it. We do not trust them enough to reveal its whereabouts.'

'Well, if they're able to pick up its energy signature, they won't need you to lead them to it; they'll find it themselves,' Rodney told her, still unable to look straight at her. 'Of course, taking it wouldn't do them any good if they can't re-activate it.' He paused, his face falling slack as a thought hit him.

Weir exchanged a look with the rest of the people gathered there. 'Do they possess the Ancient gene required to initialise those devices?' she asked.

Ladon shook his head as he thought about that. 'Not to my knowledge. None of my scouts mentioned them being able to interact with the technologies in any way. That would have been a reason for concern.'

'And an aggressive race collecting information on Ancient weaponry didn't worry you?' Lorne scoffed.

Ladon fixed him with a cold stare. 'We were monitoring the situation, but it wasn't at the top of our list of priorities.'

'So, we have a known military race checking out Ancient weaponry, but with no way of operating it. Anyone else think it's more than a coincidence that the member of our expedition with the strongest Ancient gene is now missing?' Rodney asked, making the obvious connection.

'Atrasca is definitely our number one suspect,' Elizabeth agreed, feeling certain they'd found a solid lead. 'Major Lorne, can I leave it with you to select a team and head through to the planet?'

'Yes, ma'am,' he agreed.

'Wait. What about us?' Rodney squeaked, gesturing to himself and the rest of his team. 'We'd like to help here.'

'I might recognise their uniforms if I see them again,' Ronon offered. Teyla, too, looked pleadingly at her.

Realising it was futile to ask them not to go, Elizabeth gave them the go ahead. 'All right, you three can go, too. But I want all of you to be careful. Rodney, Ronon, stay calm at all costs. If these people have Sheppard, aggravating them could seriously go against us.'

The two men nodded, but she looked at Teyla, expressing her desire for the Athosian to keep them both in check with that one momentary exchange. If anyone could keep them calm, it was Teyla.

As they filed out, Ladon also rose from his seat. 'With your agreement, I'll return to my people and make further enquiries about the Atrascans. If I find anything of use, I'll report it to you immediately.'

'Of course. And thank you, Ladon. You've been a great help.'

'I hope so,' he smiled, then headed out to return to the 'gate room. Weir contacted the control room team giving them permission to let him leave, then sat down beside Alishia.

'This hasn't been the best of starts for our new friendship,' she said, offering the woman a smile.

'I should like to stay for now...to help in any way I can,' Alishia offered. 'Colonel Sheppard is a good man, and the sooner we can return him to his home, the better.'

'Well, you're certainly welcome to remain here,' Elizabeth told her. 'I'll ask someone to prepare a room for you, perhaps show you around a little so you don't feel so overwhelmed.'

'I do not need much. Please don't put anyone to any trouble.'

'It's no trouble. It's night on Medulsa now isn't it? You must be tired.'

Alishia shook her head. 'I am used to sleeping very few hours. Being the elder of a village means you must be on call night and day for all manner of emergencies.'

Elizabeth knew how that felt. Her life as Commander of Atlantis was much the same. Then, she remembered something she felt the need to explain. 'Oh, about the things Ronon said earlier...the colonel...well...he was only reluctant to attend the celebration when he thought he might have to confront Sarayah. Once he knew she wasn't around anymore, he agreed to go to the celebration.'

'Well, I cannot hold that against him. Sarayah behaved despicably toward him during his time with us. And now, he has been taken from our planet...I feel responsible for not ensuring his safety –'

'I'll hear none of it,' Elizabeth chided, reaching over and giving Alishia's shoulder a squeeze. 'I was the one who sanctioned this celebration and asked him to attend. You mustn't blame yourself for a moment.'

Alishia seemed genuinely pleased to hear that, and Weir was glad to appease the woman's guilt. If anyone should feel responsible, it was her, not Alishia, something she realised more with every minute Sheppard remained missing.

oooOOOooo

Hard as it was for him to understand, Sheppard somehow managed to fall asleep in that blisteringly hot hut. Even though the sun had been setting when he arrived there, it had still been searing within those stifling walls one they'd shut him in there.

As the door now rattled open he woke with a start, still sitting with his back to the wall where he had positioned himself to try to find a comfortable place to relax. The metal was now far cooler against his back than it had been when he'd fallen asleep there, which suggested he'd been out for some time. Indeed, the view beyond the doorway confirmed it was now night, and the temperature outside had obviously cooled considerably, because the fresh air blowing in past Sarayah's silhouette in the moonlight was a blessed relief. Unlike the sight of Sarayah herself.

'Time to wake up, Major,' she ordered, the tone of her voice betraying her obvious amusement with his predicament.

Sheppard stayed right where he was, refusing to show any reaction. 'Actually, that's Lieutenant Colonel now,' he told her casually, hoping the nerves he felt didn't show.

She stepped inside the hut, firing up a lantern so he could see her features in the murky light. 'I take it that's a promotion in rank. I'm highly honoured you could join us, Lieutenant Colonel.'

'Well, if I had a choice, I wouldn't be here right now,' he assured her.

'Then, perhaps you shouldn't have gone back to Medulsa to gloat over the changes you brought about there.'

'Believe me, I wasn't there by choice either,' he told her, huffing out a laugh into his chest.

'Then your leader ordered you to be there. Good for her,' she smirked, 'a man like you needs to be taught obedience.'

'Yeah, thought you might appreciate that,' he scoffed. 'So, did you plot all this with the Medulsans, or was it just chance your friends turned up to snatch me at the exact moment I set foot there?'

She snorted with apparent derision. 'The Medulsans think of you as their Messiah; they would never have agreed to this. But no, it wasn't chance. This is the result of several long lunar revolutions of watching and waiting. Luckily, the Atrascans are a very patient race.'

_Months? _He found the idea they had been planning all this for months more unnerving than if he'd had to face Sarayah back on Medulsa. 'You've gone to an awful lot of trouble just to get revenge on me.'

'This isn't about revenge,' she said, her voice flat and emotionless. 'The Atrascans need someone like you. I just told them where they might eventually find you.'

'Someone like me? What's that mean?'

She walked a little closer, setting down her lamp and folding her arms over her chest. She held something in her left hand, a strange looking hinged metal item shaped like two conjoined semicircles. 'On your knees, Lieutenant Colonel,' she ordered. Apparently, she considered their conversation over.

Knowing the levels of violence she was capable of, he decided it might be wise to comply, managing it with a struggle and no small amount of pain from his slicing cuffs. Once he was in position, she held the metal contraption out toward his neck. Though he didn't think he liked the way things were heading, the pain in his wrists reminded him he was in no position to fight, especially against someone as strong and fast as she had proved herself to be. Her smart uniform did little to hide the muscular physique lurking beneath it, and the clean face and neat hair didn't mask the fiery aggression in her eyes for a moment.

He heard a clicking noise as the collar fitted into place and locked. Sarayah then squatted down in front of him, and held up a small black box for him to look at. 'I'll give you a quick explanation of the restraint I've put around your neck. It's a restriction collar. If I run my thumb across this dial –' The collar instantly tightened, one of the semicircles of metal sliding inside the other and cutting off his air supply. '– it tightens, as you can tell. A little uncomfortable, is it?' She let him choke for a few seconds, then ran her thumb around the dial in the opposite direction and loosened it again. 'Now, I'm sure a man of your intelligence can see the potential problem if you were to...let's say for example...try to fight your way out of here. Especially since each of my men has one of these controls, so no matter where you try to hide in this camp, you'll never be far away from one. We'll soon recapture you...or kill you in the process.'

'Clever,' he wheezed, drawing in a deep breath to replace the air she'd deprived him of. 'It's certainly a step up from the whip.'

She smirked at the memory. 'Oh you'll find the Atrascans are advanced in a great many ways, not just their methods of confinement.'

'I don't know,' he replied. 'These cuffs are pretty rough.'

'Yes, and purposefully so,' she told him, slipping her hand inside the neck of his T-shirt and taking hold of his dog tags, examining them in her palm. 'I will have to remove these. They may interfere with the performance of the collar.'

Though he thought about protesting he knew it would be futile, so let her slip them up over his head without resistance. She pushed them into her pocket, then stood up and walked around behind him. To his surprise, she removed the cuffs restraining his arms and legs, his wrists instantly feeling the benefit, not to mention his aching shoulders, sore from being constantly pulled back beyond their normal position, and bruised after his fall from the truck.

He looked down at the lacerated skin on the back of his wrists, oozing blood and too sore to touch. 'Yeah, I guess I can understand their effectiveness.'

'Better now?' Sarayah said softly, leaning her mouth to his ear. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled at the feeling of her breath on his cheek, and he instinctively flinched away, something that seemed to please her immensely. He'd been trying not to react to her proximity, but she'd forced a response from him at last. 'Outside,' she ordered. Getting to his feet, he trudged out into the moonlight, the full chill of the night air biting at his hot skin now. 'Sit,' she barked, pointing to a spot on the floor under a large, long dead, hollow tree. The landscape around them looked mostly desert-like – dry, sandy ground and sparse, brittle plants. But a short distance away, he thought he could see leafy trees, suggesting a water source, though it was hard to tell in the dark.

He watched as she gestured to a man standing at the entrance of what appeared to be a cave some distance away. He ducked inside out of view while she returned her attention to Sheppard.

'You look hot, Lieutenant Colonel. Why don't you take off your jacket?'

'I'm fine here now, thanks,' he assured her, but he was mistaken. It wasn't a suggestion on her part, something that became blatantly obvious when she allowed her fingers to trace the edge of the collar control she'd clipped to her belt. It was a subtle move, but its meaning wasn't lost on him.

'Why don't you take it off anyway?' she repeated, and this time he did as she asked, slipping it carefully over his sore wrists and holding it out for her to snatch away.

His shirt cleaved to his sweat soaked skin, and now the air was cooling it brought goosebumps to his arms as the breeze blew across his follicles. But of course she would want him to be as uncomfortable as possible; why had he expected anything less? Although he knew his T-shirt would dry out more quickly now, he already missed the defence against the cold his jacket had afforded him, and it would only get worse as the night wore on. And that wasn't the only thing it had defended him from he realised, as Sarayah's appreciative gaze wandered over him.

'You look older,' she commented, obviously noticing the few stray strands of silver now highlighting the sides of his hair.

'You think so? You should have seen me a few weeks ago,' he joked, then regretted it when she looked puzzled and waited for an explanation. 'Never mind,' he muttered, refusing to go into detail.

The man she'd communicated with reappeared from the mouth of the cave and headed their way. Sheppard was pleasantly surprised to see he was carrying both food and drink, which Sarayah took from him before ordering him away. Once they were alone again she squatted in front of him, holding a bowl of broth and a hunk of bread toward him.

'Here, you must be hungry by now,' she said, taking hold of his wrist and lifting his hand to take the food.

He winced at her touch, and pulled away. She offered the bowl again, allowing him to take it without any further contact.

'Eat your fill, and then I will dress your wounds,' she told him, standing upright and folding her arms as she watched him.

'Oh, so now you're a doctor as well as a commander,' he quipped, putting the bowl of broth on the ground in front of him and tearing off a chunk of bread to dip in it. 'You're doing pretty well for yourself these days.'

'I'm no doctor, but I know enough to dress your _minor_ wounds.'

Though he knew they weren't serious, they were giving him some considerable discomfort so he didn't argue. He polished of the bread and broth quickly, his appetite still not satisfied, but slightly appeased, then Sarayah thrust a flask of water under his nose.

'Here, drink and replenish yourself.'

He eyed the flask dubiously without taking it. The last time she'd given him a drink while they were alone, he'd lost a few hours of his life that had never completely revealed themselves to him. 'Maybe I'll pass on that.'

'If I was going to drug you, I would have hidden it in the food,' she said, trying not to laugh. 'And you'd already be unconscious.'

Annoyed that she found his distrust of her so amusing, he snatched the flask from her and drank some, then thrust it back in her direction.

'So, how'd you get to be in charge of these people already?' he asked. 'The villagers back on Medulsa told us you left them soon after the changes, but even if you met up with these guys right away, it's still pretty generous of them to put you in command of their troops.'

She shrugged as if it was nothing special, then pulled some bandages from her pocket and began to dress his injuries. 'The Atrascans saw my potential when I was training with their personnel. Of course, it also helped that I had intelligence they required to carry out their plans.'

'What plans?' he asked, pressing her on the point she'd been reluctant to expand on earlier.

'You'll find out soon enough,' she told him. He didn't push her on it anymore, figuring she wasn't about to put him out of his misery, and was actually enjoying the fact he so obviously wanted to know what was happening. She finished his dressings, tying off the second bandage and slicing off the excess with a knife. 'Now stand up.'

The moon, unimpeded by cloud, highlighted the distant mountains lining the horizon to the east. He could feel the temperature dropping all the time, and shivers set in as his wet shirt left him feeling icy cold were it touched his skin. He stood up, trying not to tremble too much as he followed her to a metal post where he saw more manacles hanging limp, awaiting a taker.

'This will be where you sleep for the night, in plain sight so you cannot slip away from us,' she told him. 'We have troops patrolling constantly, so you'd be wise to remember that. Normally we would restrain both your wrists and ankles, but since your wrists are in no fit state...' she pulled out the ankle cuffs and secured them around his boots.

'That's uncommonly nice of you,' he grunted, tugging on the chain, testing its strength.

'You might want to refrain from doing that again,' she warned him. 'Once I activate the sensors in the post, any attempt to remove the shackles, or any movement the sensors deem to be an attempt to break the chains, sets off an alarm, and we might feel forced to operate the collar you're wearing.'

He ran his finger around the metal band, testing the gap between it and his throat. It was minimal and the metal was already beginning to chafe. So, it looked like he was stuck there for the night. Tired of being civil with her, he decided to speak his mind. 'Not that I don't trust you, you understand...but when are we going to cut the niceties and get to the part where you beat the crap out of me?'

She actually looked quite baffled by the suggestion. 'And why would I need to do that?'

'Because of the trouble I caused for you on Medulsa.'

She shrugged again, pushing a few loose strands of hair back from her face as the breeze picked up. 'Already forgotten. My life with the Atrascans is far better than it ever was on Medulsa. So, if you do as we ask, you'll come to no harm, understand?'

He nodded, but couldn't help feeling that somewhere along the line, he was likely to have problem with whatever they asked him to do. Then the real fun would start.

'You settle down for the night,' she told him with a patronising smile. 'There are guards watching you from the cave mouth as well as others on patrol, so, please, no heroics.'

He watched her walk away, unnerved by her supposed indifference. The Sarayah he remembered was like a feral cat – beautiful from a distance, but deadly if allowed to get too close. This version was totally unexpected. Not that he was foolish enough to believe he was getting out of this unscathed for a moment. She might be saying all the right things, but the way she looked at him told him something else entirely.

The wind whipped up around him. Having no other option than to sit it out, Sheppard sat down and leaned against the post, hearing the buzz of the power running through it. It seemed Sarayah hadn't been lying about it being wired up to some alarm system, so he figured his best bet was to tough it out for the night and wait for a better opportunity to make his escape. He seemed to be doing a lot of that.

Wrapping his arms around himself for warmth, the colonel tried to get comfortable, but it wasn't easy. Even the metal post felt cold between his shoulder blades where he pressed against it. In the end, he decided to lie down and try to get comfortable in the dust. The ground still retained some of the daytime heat, but, from experience, he knew it wouldn't last long. Soon, the drugs still rattling around in his system took their toll and he drifted off into troubled dreams.


	7. Chapter 7

Lorne and his team were already gathered in the jumper bay when Rodney, Teyla and Ronon arrived to join them for their flight. The military team looked cool and collected as they waited, the exact opposite of how McKay felt, though he tried his best not to show his nerves. Attempting to muster up some Sheppard-style nonchalance, he approached the bulky marines with his best, most casual swagger.

'So, how're we gonna play this, Major?' he asked, trying to sound as relaxed about the mission as they appeared to be.

Lorne blinked at him, then said, 'Oh, I don't know, Doc. I thought we should maybe just fly through to the planet and run a few scans to see if we can locate Colonel Sheppard's transmitter...unless you have a better idea?'

'And if we find it we can perform some kind of surgical strike, in an out, quick and neat,' the scientist continued, thrusting his hand in and out like some kind of lethal weapon, feeling like he was on a roll with the military jargon.

The major smiled at him, seemingly impressed with his knowledge of such things. 'Yeah, exactly like that,' he replied, nodding. 'You know, you sound like you know a lot about this stuff; perhaps we should let you lead the mission.'

'No...no,' McKay insisted, giving him a crooked smile. 'Although I've picked up a thing or two from Sheppard in my time working with him, I'm willing to defer to your greater experience.'

'Thanks, Doc. That's real big of you,' Lorne replied, deadpan, while his men battled not to laugh.

Noticing their struggle to contain themselves, Rodney realised Lorne had been stringing him along, much the same way Sheppard would have. 'Ah, that'd be that thing you military types describe as humour,' he sniped, realising Lorne wasn't impressed at all. 'Oh, my sides...they ache.'

'Perhaps we should board the jumper and get this mission underway,' Teyla suggested, stepping in before Rodney's sarcasm really kicked off.

He knew she was deliberately intervening, but he let her do it, knowing his temper was sometimes his undoing. Lorne making fun of him didn't matter, he told himself; all that mattered now was finding Sheppard.

Lorne agreed, gesturing for Sheppard's team to board the jumper first, then he and his team followed them up the ramp and he took his place in the pilot's seat.

As the rear hatch lifted into position, he looked back over his shoulder at them. 'Everyone ready?'

'Yes...yes. Just get this thing moving,' Rodney snapped, firing up his tablet ready to run the scanning programme to pick up Sheppard's sub-dermal transmitter.

Lorne set the jumper in motion, lowering it down into the 'gate room. As they waited for the wormhole to connect to Atrasca, Elizabeth's voice broke through on their radio.

'Good luck, people. Find out what you can, bring the colonel back if possible, but try not to get into any trouble. Remember what Ladon said. These people are aggressive and have displayed an overt interest in Ancient technology – that makes your craft alone a potential target for them. Be safe.'

'Will do, Elizabeth,' Rodney called back to her. 'We'll keep you posted.'

'Good. I'll let you know if we hear anything of use here,' she assured him. 'Major, you have a go.'

Rodney hoped this lead would prove to be the only one they needed. He'd felt guilty enough about not going with Sheppard to Medulsa in the first place; they needed to find him soon and in one piece if he ever wanted to sleep again.

The 'gate flashed into life, and Lorne launched them through it, cloaking the craft as soon as they were clear of the event horizon on the other side. The terrain looked much like any other life-sustaining planet in the Pegasus galaxy; lots of greenery, lakes of various sizes, mountains, the occasional beautiful coastline. It was hard to tell what time of day it was, but as they travelled the sun appeared to be descending rather than ascending so they assumed it was early to mid afternoon. Rodney was admiring the wonders of the landscape when the major's voice broke her serenity.

'Are you picking up Sheppard's signal?' he asked.

'Nothing. If he's on this planet he's...' he stopped before voicing that thought out loud.

'Do not think that way,' Teyla told him. 'Perhaps something happened to disrupt his signal. You have said certain weather conditions and geological features can cause that effect before.'

'Yeah, but I'm not picking any of that stuff up here,' he whined, feeling a tension headache begin to nag behind his eyes. Why was rescuing Sheppard never straightforward? The man had a knack for getting himself into tight situations that had them all sweating bullets until his return. It seemed this occasion would be no different.

Lorne manoeuvred them down low over a lake, then banked left and headed in a direction they hadn't covered yet, handling the jumper with an ease and confidence almost equal to that of the colonel himself.

'What the hell...' Lorne's voice trailed off as he read the information the jumper's HUD was feeding to him, causing the others to move forward from the rear of the jumper to examine it. 'D'you see that, McKay?'

'Whoa, the power readings here are off the scale,' Rodney gasped, confirming them by analysing a second set via his tablet. 'These levels suggest massive amounts of active technology.'

'But I am not seeing anything to suggest technological advancements,' Teyla said, squinting as she scoured the various small camps and villages they passed over. 'They seem to live much as my people do; farmers, hunters and traders.'

'Well, I can't see anything either,' Rodney agreed, 'but these readings are telling me there's something going on down there – something much bigger than a few cooking fires and bread ovens, I can tell you.'

'D'you think I should open a channel and see if we can make contact with anyone?' Lorne asked the scientist. 'Might draw them out.'

'Or it might alert an aggressive and technologically advanced race to the fact we're onto them,' McKay pointed out. 'Do we really want that before we've even had a chance to question these people on the surface about Sheppard's whereabouts?'

'Dr McKay is right,' Teyla agreed. 'I believe our best hope is to land the craft and see what we can find out from the villagers. If we are friendly and open in our approach, they may feel more inclined to be honest with us.'

Rodney held up a finger in realisation. 'Of course, much as it pains me to question my own judgement, that didn't exactly work with the Genii when we first approached them.'

Teyla arched an eyebrow, then dipped her head in acknowledgement of the point he made. 'That is true, but the Genii were a frightened and greedy people; hopefully these Atrascans will prove less deceitful.'

'No offence, Teyla, but don't you think you're being a bit optimistic there? We already know they're hiding something, and even Ladon said they're ruthless traders. I'm not holding out any hopes here.'

'They are the strongest link we have to Colonel Sheppard's whereabouts right now,' Teyla said firmly. 'For that reason, I am willing to hope.'

Lorne had turned to face them, and nodded now to give Teyla his support. 'It's good enough for me. I'll set us down and we'll go ask the locals a few questions.'

With a picture of Sheppard emblazoned across his computer tablet, Rodney stood back and acted as an easel while Teyla and Lorne did most of the talking. Though he fully appreciated they were much better at conversing patiently with the locals than he was, he couldn't help but feel a man of his brilliance could be put to better use than this. He and Ronon were just hanging around, ordered not to speak unless asked to for fear they might cause trepidation or offence. It occurred to Rodney these people could do with a good dose of fear to put some life into them; he'd never met such a dreary bunch in his life, and he'd worked with more geeky scientists than he cared to think about.

The villagers were a wholly unexciting bunch, all wearing their hair held back in a length of leather binding, and having only the most basic of clothing with not a single item of jewellery or finery between them. They kind of reminded him of the Amish – perhaps whatever god they worshipped considered such things a vanity, too. No one they spoke to showed even the slightest flicker of recognition when shown the picture he carried, and gradually, as time passed, McKay became more and more agitated and less and less amenable.

'I think it's safe to assume we aren't going to find anyone here willing to admit they've seen the colonel,' he growled, scowling at the locals gathered around them. 'We're wasting valuable time.'

'Are there any more settlements, perhaps more advanced than this, to which our friend may have headed?' Teyla asked in desperation.

'We are a simple people. All we have is what you see here,' one female insisted, gesturing with a sweep of her hand. She was young and heavily pregnant, and her words seemed honest enough, yet Rodney could not shake the feeling there was deception masked behind her words, and that what she said might simply be a well-practiced lie she could now deliver without a hint of conscience.

'Thank you all for your time,' Teyla said with a rigid smile. Then she turned and looked at the men there with her, flicking her eyes toward the pathway out of the town.

Once they were out of earshot, Ronon asked, 'So, what now? We can't just head back to Atlantis. We know there's somethin' going on here.'

'Dr McKay, do you think you would be able to pinpoint their centre of operations if we gathered enough data from those power readings?' Lorne asked.

Rodney nodded frenetically, at last feeling useful. 'I'm pretty sure I could narrow it down to a few kilometres at most, maybe less given enough time.'

'That's better than nothing,' Lorne said, checking over his shoulder to ensure no one was following them. 'I'm betting if Sheppard's anywhere on this planet, he's wherever that power source is. Let's head back to the jumper and see what we can find. Then, once we've identified a possible point of ingress, we'll head back to Atlantis and return with reinforcements.'

'Now that sounds like a plan,' Ronon rumbled, starting out at a pace the others had difficulty keeping up with.

Once on board, Lorne fired up the engines and launched them back into the air.

Rodney began work immediately, isolating the most powerful readings as the likely base of Atrascan military operations. 'Okay, I'm getting the strongest readings about two kilometres northeast of our position,' Rodney announced.

'Then that seems a good place to start,' the major said, setting a course.

Taking the craft in as low as he dared, they scanned the terrain for signs of any kind of entrance to an underground facility. Nothing jumped out at them, but then, the Genii had successfully concealed their underground facilities from trading parties for many decades, so he doubted it would be glaringly obvious.

'We should let Dr Weir know what we have found,' Teyla urged the major. 'I am certain she will be keen to hear from us.'

Lorne nodded, 'Will do.'

'Uh...guys,' McKay interrupted before the major could act. 'I'm detecting a massive build up in power...' Before he had the chance to finish his sentence their craft jerked violently, almost shaking them from their seats.

The jumper began to plummet, and Lorne only had just enough time to warn everyone to brace for impact before they hit the ground and everything went black...

oooOOOooo

Sleep did eventually come to Sheppard, but it was fractured at best. The night air out there in the open was now so cold he shivered uncontrollably as his body tried to generate more heat, his thin T-shirt offering little protection from the cool air. Despite the bitter temperatures, he managed brief snatches of rest, which did little to ease his aching head or to shorten the cold, dark night time hours.

Even though his slumbers were already stilted, it still came as something of a shock when he was woken by the sensation of someone landing on top of him in the darkness. As he opened his eyes, a flash of metal rushed past his face then hit the ground with a resounding thump.

Winded by the collision, it took him a moment or two to work out exactly what was happening, then, when the body pressing him into the ground powered up a lamp, he saw, with a cold rush of horror, exactly what the blade had pierced as it struck the ground. An Iratus bug squirmed and thrashed and hissed as it desperately tried to free itself to feed and preserve what was left of its life.

With a strangled squawk, Sheppard wriggled his way free of the person lying on top of him, forgetting his ankles were still tethered and tripping as he set off the alarms in the security post he was chained to.

The woman he'd thrown off him pulled her gun from her holster and levelled it at him, eyes wide and mouth twitching with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. 'Easy, Lieutenant Colonel. That could have been very nasty for you. I've seen one of those things kill a man before and it's not pretty.'

'Yeah, trust me, I know what they can do,' he told her, trying to catch his breath as he dusted himself down. The thing was still moving, scrabbling at the ground around it in an attempt to gain purchase and drag itself free of the knife in its back.

He heard heavy-booted feet thundering across the sandy ground behind him and turned to see Sarayah and two of her troops approaching at speed, weapons drawn.

'What is it, Teelac? What happened? Did he try to escape?'

'I was patrolling and spotted that,' she said, shining her light on the now failing insect. 'Good thing, too, or we would be down one prisoner right now.'

'I thought we had set up a perimeter to stop those things getting through,' Sarayah said, grimacing at the sight of it.

'We did. But every now and again one manages to get through. It's just a matter of timing. We go out; they come in.'

Sheppard watched as the hideous thing thrashed about in another frantic attempt to work itself free of the blade. That had been way too close for his liking, since he had no desire to repeat the experience he'd suffered when trapped in the 'gate in the back of a puddle jumper over two years ago. But where there was one Iratus bug, there would be many, many more. A vague recollection of the cave where he'd collected the eggs during his conversion into a bug popped into his head. There had been hundreds, possibly thousands of the things, skittering across one another, some crunching and liquefying under his feet as he'd walked through them. So somewhere out there was a dark, damp cave with a nest of the damned things just waiting to suck the life out of him. Just when he'd thought things couldn't get any worse.

Sarayah gestured for the two men at her shoulder to head back to the cave, then turned her piercing gaze on Teelac. 'You must have been patrolling very close to the prisoner to see that in the darkness,' she charged, clearly far from happy with that idea.

Sheppard now recognised the younger woman's voice. She'd travelled there with him in the truck on his arrival. It was hard to make out her features clearly in the poor light, but he could see she was kind of plain, almost boyish in appearance compared to her taller and more feminine colleague.

'Good thing I was, Commander' she pointed out, unflinchingly holding Sarayah's gaze. 'If I hadn't been, we would have lost our advantage.'

'Advantage? What advantage?' Sheppard asked.

Sarayah rolled her eyes. 'Teelac, perhaps you would like to share all our plans with the prisoner? He doesn't seem fully informed yet.'

Teelac dropped her head, shamefaced. 'Sorry, Commander. I wasn't thinking.'

'No, it seems your confrontation with that insect has left you somewhat distracted. Or perhaps something else was affecting your concentration.'

She slid a look in Sheppard's direction, than back to Teelac, her insinuation as clear as she could make it without actually stating it.

'My mind was only on the task of protecting the prisoner, Commander,' Teelac assured her.

Jealousy – was that what was driving this confrontation? Picking up on the icy vibe between the two of them, Sheppard decided to play on it to see how deep it ran. 'That wasn't exactly how it felt when you landed on top of me,' he muttered, deliberately not looking at Sarayah for her reaction. To be honest, he didn't need to see her face to feel the venom now seething out of her. 'You weren't too quick getting off me, either, as I recall.'

'I think, perhaps, it might be better if you don't take up the night patrol anymore, Teelac. I will reorganise things tomorrow. Now head back inside; I will watch him until sunrise.'

His plan having backfired, Sheppard sat back down on the floor and wrapped his arms around himself, shivering in the wind as the younger woman stalked away, head low in disgrace. 'Don't suppose you could ask her to bring out my jacket?' he grumbled, teeth clenched against the chill.

Sarayah bent down and grasped his chin, staring into his rebellious eyes as her fingers dug into him. 'Teelac may be young and impressionable, Sheppard, but she is loyal to her people's cause, and to me. You will not be able to use her against me, so don't even try.' He held her gaze, determined not to show fear, but the exchange grew more intense than he'd intended it to, her grip tightening as his defiance ignited her ire. Eventually she released the pressure on him, but rather than moving away she stroked the back of her fingers down his cheek in a manner far too intimate for him to deal with. He flinched away from her touch, and she seemed to check herself. 'I see you need to shave. We'll allow you to clean up in the morning. There's no need to be uncivilised about this, is there?'

Walking over to the skewered insect still writhing a few feet away, she stamped on its head and pulled out the knife which had been too close to Sheppard to leave there. Its legs still twitched, but it was in no fit state to move anymore – at least he certainly hoped it wasn't.

Leaving Teelac's lamp nearby but beyond his reach, she walked away then and sat down somewhere near the opening of the cave, little more than fifty yards away, remaining just visible in the slight light emanating from within it. Her head was turned in his direction, but her eyes were cast in shadow, so he could only guess if she was watching him, but it certainly felt that way.

Not wishing to antagonise her any further, he lay down and turned his back to her, watching the Iratus as it flickered its last. There had been no mistaking the intention behind that touch whether he needed a shave or not; she might be trying to convince him her previous interest in him had dissipated, but he wasn't falling for it. He suspected the people she now worked with needed him for some reason, hence Teelac calling him an advantage, and that was why she was holding back for now. But, Sarayah being Sarayah, he doubted this respite from humiliation would last for long.

He didn't sleep again that night.


	8. Chapter 8

Elizabeth sighed and went back into her office as Jumper 5 returned from Atrasca with no news of Major Lorne, the others, or the missing jumper.

Three hours had now passed since she'd first tried hailing the missing jumper crew, then hailing the planet, and finally, against her better judgement, she had then sent out another team to look for them. Her gut instinct had told her not to authorise the mission, but the marines had been insistent they wanted to make the trip, and she didn't feel she had the right to stop them if they felt so strongly about it. All she could do was warn them of the risks they were facing and send them on their way, hoping they would return. That they had done successfully, but with absolutely no news of their missing colleagues. There was no trace of their transmitter signals, and no one on the planet's surface claimed to have ever seen them according to Lieutenant Howell's report, and because they hadn't even managed one radio message, she had no firm evidence that Lorne and the others had ever even landed there to verify whether or not they were lying.

She activated her earpiece as she threw herself down in her seat. 'Radek, are you absolutely certain there was no fault with the 'gate as Jumper 2 passed through?' she asked, checking with him one more time. She'd already asked him twice, but couldn't think what else to believe.

'Yes, I am absolutely certain, Dr Weir. I have run full diagnostics, three times now, and they show no anomalies whatsoever,' the scientist replied, his voice edged with desperation. 'The only unusual occurrence was a power surge on the planet's surface.'

'Okay, Radek. Try to locate the source of that energy spike...better still ask one of your team to do it and get some rest,' she ordered him, leaning back and closing her eyes. It was almost 00:30 hours, and she'd been up since five that morning to go through the 'gate and speak with Alishia on the colonel's behalf. Radek had been up at that hour, too. She'd bumped into him on the way out of the mess hall. All that seemed almost a lifetime away now.

Her mind wandered to the meeting with Sheppard and Lorne in her office now. The colonel been so angry with her for making plans for him to back to Medulsa without consulting him, and now he was gone. Much as she's done it with the best intentions for advancing their battle against the Wraith, she wished she could take it back now.

If only she hadn't asked Lorne to make contact with the Medulsans, none of this would have happened. But she'd altered his mission directive while Sheppard was off-world, and at the time she really had honestly thought it was the best thing. For two years, Sheppard had not spoken about the planet, or shown any real interest in the cloaked reconnaissance flights that took place every six months to determine their progress. He'd agreed to them, but played no part. So, she'd assumed the idea of making contact with them would meet with the same indifference with which he treated everything else Medulsa related. Making the decision herself had taken a matter he cared little for out of his hands, or so she'd thought.

But was it indifference? She'd always taken his silences as a lack of interest, but now she was beginning to wonder. His reaction in her office, which she'd taken for annoyance at her somewhat underhand tactics, had probably been something much more than that, and she'd pushed the plan through to save time when she should have put her efforts into getting to the bottom of his aversion. Why was it only now that she could suddenly see another possibility? Why had the idea he was unreceptive because of some underlying problem only occurred to her after this abduction? If she thought about it she knew why. It was because Sheppard was ever the stoic hero, always putting himself on the line, never showing fear or concern for self, and she had fallen for it. She'd thought he was simply that tough...

'Dr Weir, we're receiving an off world transmission.'

The voice in her earpiece woke her from the sleep she'd slipped into without even realising it. She checked her watch and found only five minutes had passed. 'What? Is...is it Major Lorne?' she blustered, barely conscious enough to form a sentence.

'No. It's Ladon Radim. He says he has information for you about the Atrascans. Should we let him through?'

'Yes, definitely!' she agreed, straightening her hair and top and heading back down to the 'gate room.

Ladon's grin was just as wide and irritating as ever as he stepped through and saw her waiting for him. He seemed to enjoy travelling to Atlantis. She hoped he wasn't trying the place out for size.

'Ladon. You have news for us?' she said, getting straight to the point.

'I do indeed.'

'Let's go to my office. We can speak privately there.'

Once settled, Ladon slouched lazily opposite her, confident he had her undivided attention. He clearly enjoyed the power his knowledge gave him, and she had to work very hard on not leaning over her laptop and slapping his smug face.

'I sent a message out to my various scouts across the galaxy, giving them a description of Sheppard and asking them for the latest updates they had on Atrascan movements,' he told her.

'Do any of them know the colonel's whereabouts?' she asked, trying to hurry him along.

'I'm afraid not, but they did have news on the Atrascans. Apparently, they are continuing in their work to log all know Lantean technology, and have even bought some smaller pieces that served no purpose to their owners. They bartered a meagre price, of course.'

'Of course...but we already know about their interest on Ancient tech, Ladon. How does this help us find Sheppard?'

He leaned forward in his seat, smiling in a way that made her skin creep. 'One of my scouts reported there is a new commander with this "acquisition" team lately, a woman, and he is certain he heard her use Sheppard's name when talking with her troops.'

Now Elizabeth was interested. 'Is he absolutely certain?'

'Absolutely,' Ladon said, leaning back in his seat again.

'But who is this woman. How does she know Sheppard by name?'

'Interesting you should ask that. The Atrascans are...an unusual race. They look quite distinctive since they wear blue lenses when out during daylight hours, and they are uncommonly pale, more so because they wear some kind of thick lotion to cover any exposed skin. Many surmise this is because they spend much of their lives underground, working on untold hidden technologies of their own where they can keep them hidden from the Wraith. They have a few meagre settlements on the planet's surface, and one small abandoned military base, but it seems likely there is far more going on there than might reveal itself to the naked eye.'

'This is all very interesting Ladon, it really is...but it doesn't answer my question,' Elizabeth pointed out, growing weary of his endless chatter.

'Ah, but in a roundabout way, it does. This new commander looked different to the others in her team. My scout reported she had a healthy tan to her skin and wore no protective lenses. She was clearly someone well used to life above ground.'

'An outsider?' Elizabeth asked. 'An outsider commanding their troops?'

He nodded. 'Atrascan officers are often given their positions through making the right connections or by offering something of value. It's not impossible for an outsider to be granted such a responsible position if she were able to bring them something of benefit to their movement.'

'Such as directing them to the means to power the ancient technologies they've been studying?'

'Exactly.'

A sense of nauseous realisation hit Elizabeth. 'Did your scout give any other description of this woman?'

'Attractive, dark hair, dark eyes, and her physique suggested she was used to fighting.'

'Sarayah,' Elizabeth breathed, dropping her head into her hands. This situation was growing worse by the minute. She'd pushed Sheppard right back into the hands of the one woman he'd been so keen to avoid.

'From the way you say that, I take it you are familiar with her.'

'Well, let's put it this way, she has a score to settle with Sheppard, so telling the Atrascans about his abilities will have benefitted her as well as them.'

'So she'll have no qualms in forcing him to help the Atrascans?' Ladon said, his smile slipping for the first time.

'That's an absolute given,' she sighed. 'She thrives on that kind of thing.'

'Then the rest of the news I have will not lessen your concerns,' he said, looking genuinely sorry he was about to burden further. 'The Atrascans have various outposts set up on several planets around the galaxy. They use them for training their troops in different environments, for carrying out research, and for monitoring Wraith activity, we believe. Even though it seems the Atrascans are the people behind this, he may not be on their planet at all.'

'Oh, this just keeps getting better,' she breathed, resting her chin on her knitted fingers. 'Thank you for your help, Ladon. Unsettling as most of this news is, at least I have a better picture of what we're up against now.'

'Well, as I said before, if there is anything more I can do to help –'

Before he could even finish speaking she was taking him up on the offer. 'You could contact your scouts again and start building up a list of planets housing possible Atrascan outposts,' she suggested. 'That way, if the Atrascans continue to block our efforts to contact them on their home world, we might have another way to approach them.'

'I'll get my people onto it straight away,' he told her, standing and heading for the door.

This time she walked with him, signalling to the small team in the control room to dial up his home world. 'I appreciate everything you've done for us today, Ladon. This won't be forgotten.'

'I'm sure there will be some way you can repay us in the future,' he smiled, awakening that customary feeling of unease she experienced whenever near him.

'I'm sure,' she agreed, and then he was on his way.

The 'gate closed and Elizabeth remained staring through the inactive ring a while longer, contemplating everything he'd told her. If he was right, none of her missing personnel were necessarily still on Atrasca, and if Sarayah was involved in Sheppard's abduction that complicated matters in a way she didn't even want to think about. Now, the colonel wouldn't only have to keep the Atrascans sweet, but her too, and it was quite possible her wants and needs would be very different to theirs. They had to find him...before that woman got to finish what she'd started on Medulsa.

She turned to the control room and called, 'Keep dialling Atrasca. We'll make them respond if it's the last thing we do.'

Then she headed to her office and began preparing what she would say if they _did _continue to ignore them. If these people wanted to play hardball, so be it. They would find out just how difficult the game could get when you were up against a seriously pissed-off female.

oooOOOooo

Gradually, hour after painstakingly long hour, the sky began to lighten, heralding the start of a new day. When he heard the sounds of others beginning to stir Sheppard lifted his head. Sarayah was exactly where he had last seen her, still watching him. That was just plain creepy, and no doubt she knew it.

Her troops emerged and stoked up a fire on which they could cook breakfast while the sun was still low. As they did that, she stood, stretched out her legs, and headed over in his direction. Unlocking his shackles, she helped him to his feet. 'Some of us are heading to the waterhole to wash. You will join us.'

'Oh...great,' he said flatly. 'Can't wait.'

As he'd suspected, the trees he'd spotted the previous evening were surrounding the source of the camp's water supply. The walk to the oasis was a short one, the greenery surrounding it crisp and pleasant in the dawn light. The sound of water reached his ears before he saw it, and he was pleased to find it as clear as he'd imagined in these idyllic surroundings. Most of the men stripped off to their waists and waded in knee deep, lathering up with soap capsules one of them had carried there in a coarse sack and shaving with knives they carried in their utility belts.

He watched them, then felt a slight shove in his back. 'In you go, Lieutenant Colonel. Noortif, throw him a hygiene cap.' Out of the blue, a soap pellet came sailing his way, and he only just reacted in time to catch it. He was about to wade in and join the other men when Sarayah caught his arm. 'We have brought a clean shirt for you.'

Realising that meant taking his current attire off, he turned his back so she wouldn't see anything but the fading scars she'd inflicted on him during their last meeting, now little more than silvery lines snaking across his back. He preferred her eyes to be on those than the still discoloured feeding mark the Wraith in Kolya's warehouse had left on him. It had only been five weeks, but even with the help of the Wraith enzyme released when the creature had returned his years of stolen life, the mark was still visible if someone actually looked closely enough.

He took off his boots and socks, wading in just as the others had while getting clean. Managing to shield himself from their enquiring eyes, he washed himself free of the stale odour clinging to him following his time in the suffocating tin hut yesterday. He was just washing all the soap from his hair when a set of eyes and nostrils appeared a few feet away from him. He stumbled back a few steps, half expecting the thing to pounce.

'Don't worry,' Sarayah called out to him. 'It's just a Golaafan. We named it after one of the daughters of Commander Thelbaar. Her eyes bulge in just the same way.' The men around him laughed, obviously understanding the comparison even if he didn't. 'They're harmless enough, just curious. They seem to be attracted to the scent of the soap.'

The thing continued to stare at him, floating with just its eyes and nose protruding from the water so he had no idea what the rest of it looked like. For all he knew, there might be another forty feet of the thing lying under the surface, and forty feet of anything could be dangerous if it decided to pull him under.

'Hey. What is that on your chest?' one of the men shouted to him.

They'd moved closer to Sheppard while he'd been worrying about the Golaafan, and he'd dropped his guard, exposing the fading injury still evident on his skin. Self consciously covering the mark, he replied. 'Nothin'. Just an old war wound.' It wasn't a complete lie, after all.

But that wasn't enough for the soldier closest to him. The man waded over to him, snatching his hand away. 'Fall onto a Wraith feeding hand, did you?' he demanded. For the first time, Sheppard noticed how blue the man's eyes were, not just the irises, but the whole of his eyes, as if he had tinted lenses in place. A glance around at the others, who were all now staring at him, confirmed they all looked the same, reminding him of the spice addicts in "Dune".

'Don't be ridiculous. Bring him here!'

Sheppard winced at Sarayah's order. This was exactly what he'd been trying to avoid. He wished he'd kept his shirt on, but who was he kidding? She would have forced him to take it off anyway.

Two of her troops escorted him back to the bank, from where Sarayah had a clear view of his fading injury.

'He's right. That is the mark of a Wraith. How did you come by it?'

'It's a long story.'

'Then shorten it,' she growled.

He sucked in a deep breath, then puffed it out as he began. 'I was taken prisoner by an enemy military commander and tortured using a starving Wraith in an attempt to extract information from my people.'

A frown scored Sarayah's brow as her eyes drifted from his, back down to the feeding mark. She reached out, placing her fingers on top of the gouged scars left by the wretched beast. Sheppard backed away from the contact, the touch sending a cold shiver of remembrance through him as he recalled the Wraith's icy fingers pushing against that very skin, digging in, slicing through the outer lays, clawing both his spirit and flesh to shreds...

'Do you believe him?' one of the men asked.

Sheppard's heart rattled against his ribs, and he felt certain the shaking it provoked was visible to her.

'I do,' she said at last, pulling her hand back.

'Do you not think it possible he is...one of the repellent ones?'

_I wish, _Sheppard thought, as her eyes continued to drink in his body. He'd never felt so violated...no, that was a lie. _She_ had made him feel just as violated before.

'He shows no other outward indications,' she said, turning her attention to the man who had asked the question.

'Perhaps he has not long been away from them. It may take a while for the effects to wear off...'

Sheppard suddenly realised what the man was suggesting. 'Are you talking about the Wraith enzyme? Because, honestly, I can think of easier ways of getting a fix. He fed on me, I helped him escape, he gave me back the life he took by way of thanks. That's it. Now can we drop it?'

'You colluded with a Wraith?' she asked, scanning his face.

'Yeah, but only to get free from the enemy. I'm pretty sure it's not something either of us plan to make a habit of.'

The man eyed him as if he was having difficulty believing what Sheppard was telling them. The colonel supposed he could understand that. Wraith giving back life wasn't exactly an everyday occurrence. 'I still believe it would be prudent to test him. It's not worth wasting our time on him if he's going to die from withdrawal as the last repellent one we came across did,' he announced.

Sheppard saw a spark of annoyance ignite in Sarayah's dark eyes. 'I would prefer you not to use that tone with me, Parhaadon.'

He dipped his head respectfully. 'I apologise, Commander. However, I still recommend we test him for the enzyme before we go any further with this mission. I have everything we need to do it back at the cave. It will only take a moment.'

Sarayah regarded him coolly, then nodded her agreement. 'Very well. Shirt!'

The same young man who had carried the soap there reached into another sack and pulled out a black shirt, tossing it Sheppard's way. More prepared this time, he caught it easily and pulled it on, glad for the cover even if it was a little loose. The others had dressed already, seemingly even more keen to cover up than he was. Maybe no one here liked Sarayah much.

The temperature was rising steeply already. It promised to be a hot day. The mountains looked glorious against the flawless blue of the sky as he was steered back in the direction of their encampment. Any other day he would have enjoyed the peace of the surroundings, but here he just felt isolated – alone. He knew his team would be looking for him, but he had no idea how many gates he'd travelled through to get there. It could take a while for them to locate him, if they managed it at all. No, he couldn't rely on them this time. He was going to have to make his own opportunities, although nothing useful had presented itself thus far.

Back inside the cave, Parhaadon, who had returned with them, set to work finding a syringe and took a sample of Sheppard's blood from the crook of his elbow. The needle he used was larger than the ones Beckett had back on Atlantis, and he obviously wasn't worried about hurting him as he jabbed it in and pulled it out with a physician's speed and precision, but little care. He handed Sheppard a small wad of lint to hold against the penetration site and bustled away to a small laboratory area the colonel only now noticed.

Sarayah approached once Parhaadon had departed, her expression still as troubled as it had been beside the water.

'What does it feel like?' she asked.

'Actually, it kinda stings,' he quipped, peeking under the lint to see if he was still bleeding.

'You know very well I am not referring to that,' she snapped, dipping her head toward his arm.

He hadn't even tried to put a description to what that life-sucking monster had done to him. Not just because it had been by far the most painful and harrowing experience he'd suffered at enemy hands, but also because what that Wraith had done in saving him had made him seem somehow more human, a quality Sheppard was reluctant to focus on since he'd made it his aim to rid the Pegasus Galaxy of their scourge.

'It stings,' he repeated, hoping his tone left her in no doubt the matter was not up for further discussion.

She pursed her lips as if struggling to hold her temper, then managed a vague smile. 'We should breakfast. If that test shows negative, you have a busy day ahead of you. Come with me.'

Following her from the cave, they headed over to the cooking fire. 'Busy day? Got more fields you need digging?' he said as she walked toward the source of a not entirely unappetising odour.

'Hardly,' she called back over her shoulder as she collected two bowls from the young recruit currently in charge of a large cooking vessel. 'Nothing much grows out here, or hadn't you noticed?'

When she passed one of the bowls to him, he found it full of something resembling porridge, though a little greener in hue. He hoped it tasted better than it looked, although his deprived stomach was willing to consume anything that wasn't poisonous right at this point. She steered him back to the cave where they both sat down to eat.

He watched Sarayah pull a concealed scoop from the outside of the bowl and sought his own out, preferring not to show how desperately hungry he was by scraping the contents out with his fingers. The scoop wasn't as big as he would have liked, so the meal went down slowly. Though it satisfied his immediate hunger, the flavour fell disappointingly short. The joys of field rations, he assumed.

Across the cave from where he was sitting, he spotted Teelac eating her share along with Gritty, whom he recognised from the sound of his voice, and three other men whose names he was yet to learn. Gritty looked pretty much as he'd guessed; mid fifties, thinning iron-grey hair, and carrying a two or three stones of excess weight on his midriff. Teelac lifted her chin to show she'd seen him looking her way, then got on with her meal.

As Sarayah sat close by watching him, Parhaadon finished his work and approached her. 'He's clean,' he grunted. 'There's no trace of enzyme in his system.'

'You see,' she smirked. 'I told you he was being truthful.'

Once Sheppard had finished, Sarayah took back his bowl and disposed of it in a pile of other used dishes. 'On your feet, Lieutenant Colonel. We have some walking to do before you start your work.'

'I figured there would be,' he sighed, standing and stretching out his limbs.

'Teelac, Solvaat, Parhaadon, you're with us,' she barked. 'Grab the equipment we need. Oh, and bring your field medical kit, Parhaadon. It might come in useful.'

Not sure he liked the sound of that, Sheppard's didn't resist as she caught his elbow and led him from the cave while the others collected what they needed.

Squinting against the sun, Sheppard go the feeling this was going to be one long, hot trek. The climate here was very similar to Sarayah's home world, and he still remembered how hard toiling in that heat had been. He rolled up the sleeves of the black shirt they'd given him to let the air at his arms at least. 'I don't suppose I can persuade you to take the truck I arrived in yesterday,' he suggested hopefully.

'It couldn't cope with some of the terrain we'll be crossing today,' she explained. 'But don't worry, Lieutenant Colonel, I've seen how fit you are – you'll make it there easily.'

Though it sounded like a pep talk, the way her eyes wandered over him as she said it gave the words an entirely different spin. Try as he did to keep things "professional" between them, there was obviously a lot more going on behind those dark eyes than she was letting on.

He turned to look back toward the cave entrance rather than acknowledge her innuendo. The trio of Sarayah's chosen team emerged into the daylight and hauled their equipment packs onto their backs. They wore hats with some sort of built in ear defenders, perhaps for communication, and in this bright daylight he could now see their eyes were shielded with the same blue-tinted contact lenses the men at the waterhole were wearing. They also appeared to be smearing a thick sun block across their exposed skin, leaving them sickly pale in comparison to both him and the Medulsan at his side. He began to wonder if this meant they weren't used to life on such a hot, dry planet; maybe this wasn't their home and their own atmosphere produced a constant heavy cloud cover. Perhaps they were used to shorter periods of daylight, or maybe they even lived underground – their pale complexions and the speed with which they had covered up against the sun at the waterhole this morning certainly suggested as much. And it would explain why they spent so much time hanging out in a dingy cave rather than out in the sun. Most of them were still lurking in their now after their morning ablutions and breakfast.

'Is everyone ready?' Sarayah called to them.

'Yes, Commander,' they answered in unison.

'Then let's take our "guest" to see the surprise waiting for him on the other side of the ravine.'

She pulled her collar control from her belt and flicked her wrist in the direction she wanted Sheppard to start out in. The others began their march, and Sheppard fell in behind them, with Sarayah bringing up the rear. He would have preferred someone else behind him, but, all things considered, he decided it might be better not to complain.

**A/N Thanks to everyone still following this story. I appreciate all the reviews, alerts and favourites, and feel free to let me know what you think if you haven't done so already.**


	9. Chapter 9

The word 'walk' had been somewhat of an understatement Sheppard decided as he hauled himself up the final stretch of the climb. He wasn't particularly thrilled with the fact Sarayah, who continued to follow him, chose to assist his rise by giving his backside the occasional push, her hands lingering far longer than necessary even if her help was genuinely intended. She didn't react at all to the sharp looks he threw her, but he was certain she was doing it purely to "handle the merchandise", so to speak.

As he clambered up on his knees, he couldn't help but feel grateful he hadn't had to carry the kit the others bore, but he didn't think that had been down to kindness on their part. It was far more likely they didn't want to give him anything that might prove useful if he was able to make an escape.

As he clambered to his feet, dusting off his trousers and standing up to take in the view, he got his first glimpse of what it was Sarayah had been so keen for him to see.

'Whoa!'

Sarayahclimbed the final few feet and rose to join him. 'Impressive, isn't it?'

There, nestled in among the tall trees of a wooded area, was the unmistakable outline of a Lantean warship.

Sheppard shielded his eyes against the sun and tried to get a better look at it. Though much of the hull lay shielded behind huge trees that resembled oaks from back on Earth though much larger, the areas he could see appeared buckled and carbon scored. 'Well...maybe once...but that thing's definitely seen better days.'

Ahead of them, he spotted the ravine they'd mentioned. A vast split in the ground, it had to measure over five hundred yards in girth. Spanning it was a particularly rickety rope bridge that barely looked able to take their weight. 'You're not planning on crossing using that thing, are you?' he asked, unable to keep the wince from his expression.

Sarayah seemed to find his concerns amusing as she smirked back at him. 'We have crossed it several times in the past few days. It's stable enough, Sheppard,' Parhaadon assured him. 'Shall we go, Commander?'

'No offence, but we have a saying where I'm from – "the straw that broke the camel's back". I don't feel much like being that straw, if it's all the same to you,' Sheppard told him. They looked puzzled, clearly not understanding the metaphor. 'It means that a person or a thing, the bridge in this case, can only take so much before they break. Just because you've crossed it before doesn't mean it won't fall this time.'

'Those cables are made with our strongest metal. They aren't about to snap,' Parhaadon stated, Gritty and Teelac chuckling behind him.

'All the same,' Sarayah announced, bringing them all to order. 'Considering the importance of our guest, perhaps we should let one of you test it first. How about you, Solvaat?'

The smile fell from Gritty's face, his crooked teeth suddenly masked by a tight lipped-scowl. 'As you wish, Commander.'

'Ensure all the posts at this end are secure first,' she advised him. 'We don't want them breaking loose while you're crossing.'

'Don't we?' Sheppard muttered, forgetting about Sarayah's sharp hearing. She cast him a shrivelling glare, and then watched her subordinates carry out her orders.

Solvaatset off, taking one ginger step after the other as he made slow progress toward his goal. It made Sheppard wonder of he would be so careful if it hadn't been for his old proverb, and the thought he'd unnerved the guy gavehim a small prickle of pleasure. He might not be in a position to land any physical blows right now, but if he could give their confidence a knock now and again, at least that was something.

Parhaadon and Teelac held onto the posts at this side and shouted encouragement to their fellow soldier.

Sheppard watched him shakily taking it step by step, then looked beyond him to where the Ancient vessel lay crumpled in the woodland. 'How long have you known about this ship?' he asked, feeling a pang of disappointment that one of the Atlantis expedition teams hadn't discovered it first. Even though it looked doubtful the ship could be salvaged in its entirety from this vantage point, the data the vessel might hold could prove invaluable.

'Several days,' she replied, pulling out her flask to quench the thirst the hike had left her with. Without looking his way, she thrust her arm out toward him, offering him refreshment. 'Though we haven't had much time aboard it yet. Parhaadon has made a few preliminary examinations to ascertain it is safe for others to board, that's all. It is most fortuitous that we have found you now considering the size of the discovery.'

Although the thought of drinking from it after she had turned his stomach, Sheppard took it and wiped the neck clean on his shirt before letting it lubricate his throat. 'And what exactly d'you want me to do?' he asked, handing the flask back to her.

She took it, drank from it again without bothering to clean it, then screwed on the lid. 'The ship requires input from someone with a specific gene...and since we know you have it –'

'Why d'you want the ship?'

'For the same reason most people would no doubt like to get their hands on such a thing. We want to find a way to effectively fight the Wraith.'

'Well, I don't want to be the one to rain on your parade here, but it's more than likely the Wraith are what caused this ship to crash in the first place.'

'Parhaadon assures me this level of technology could still be vital to his people's future plans, even if we cannot get it airborne again.'

'Well, I guess I can't blame them for looking for an advantage against the Wraith,' he replied, watching Solvaat reach the one hundred metre mark. 'But they could have just asked for our help.'

'And risk your refusal? They weren't prepared to do that. They need your input here if their plans are ever to reach --'

A screech from above sent them all ducking, all except for Sheppard who was so surprised by the noise he simply stood in awe as he watched a huge flying creature sweep down from the sky and buzz Solvaat on the bridge. The thing moved at incredible speed as it swept and turned to take a second pass at him. With a wingspan measuring yards rather than inches or even feet, Sheppard stared in open-mouthed wonder as it spotted him and manoeuvred itself to make an attempt to snatch him instead.

Thankfully, he had the presence of mind to throw himself to the ground and roll clear of its razor sharp talons. They gouged the sand beside him, but again the creature moved so swiftly that all he caught was a flash of brilliant emerald on its ridged underside as it lifted itself back into the air, disturbing the dust around him as it pumped its wings, sending itself surging back into the sky.

'What the hell is that?' Sheppard breathed, sitting up and watching the winged beast rocket toward Solvaat again, this time making contact with the man and causing him to flip over the guide rope on his left. He maintained a tenuous grip with one hand while fumbling for his weapon.

A split second later, Sheppard felt himself being bowled over and pinned to the floor, Sarayah's hands covering his ears as the others fired shots at the advancing creature. What happened after that was a blur; everything began to spin and his head throbbed as though he'd drained a bottle of whisky all to himself. His limbs felt utterly useless and uncoordinated as he lay back, staring up at Sarayah's face now hovering over his. She was speaking, but he had no idea what she was saying. Her lips moved, but he couldn't hear anything except a painful buzzing in his ears. Gradually, his senses groped their way back to him, and her voice cut through his confusion.

'Sheppard. Sheppard. Can you hear me?'

'Wha...what happened?' he asked, still not fully aware of his surroundings.

'We were attacked by a flying monster. Teelac shot it down.'

His visual disturbance began to clear, and he caught sight of what was hanging around her neck, normally hidden by her vest, but having worked loose in the fall – his dog tags. Suddenly realising what part of her anatomy he was also staring toward, and that Sarayah was still straddling his torso and looking at him in an all too familiar and lascivious way, Sheppard squirmed his way free and tried to stand, only succeeding in doing so for a second or two before falling back down to his knees again. She caught hold of his arm and supported him until some strength returned to his limbs. Now upright, he could see Teelac and Parhaadon hurrying across the bridge toward Solvaat, trying not to shake his tenuous grip loose in the process. Thankfully, they reached him and hauled him to safety before he could fall the several hundred feet to the jagged rocks that lurked below.

'Seems the bridge remains strong, after all,' Sarayah said, matter-of-fact.

'What did she shoot that thing with?' he asked, the buzzing in his eardrums only now beginning to subside, leaving behind a trace of nausea.

'It's a sonic pulse weapon. It leaves the target disoriented and weak when fired on its lower settings, but a direct hit on a high setting will rupture internal organs and is almost always fatal. Hence these.' She tapped the ear defenders on her cap. 'They filter the additional low level sound waves so we are unaffected when a weapon is discharged.'

'Don't suppose I could get me one of those,' he asked, already knowing the answer, but figuring it couldn't hurt to ask.

'Since we may need to use the weapons on you should you try to escape, that would be rather foolish of us, wouldn't you say?'

'But I'm wearing the collar,'

'True, but should that malfunction, we need another way to stop you.'

He ran his finger around the collar again, finding the skin beneath it sticky with sweat, which only served to make the chafing hurt all the more. 'I guess so...well...thanks for covering my ears. I guess that helped a little.'

She shrugged as if it was nothing to her. 'It didn't help all that much, probably just reduced the dizziness down by a short time. I couldn't let the key to our work on that ship get too badly disoriented; it would have delayed our progress.'

Once the others were all the way across to the other side of the ravine, she gave him a shove toward the bridge to set him on his way.

****

They battled through the trees and undergrowth surrounding the crashed vessel without care, leaving Sheppard anxious about what indigenous life forms they might alert to their presence. Thankfully, at least from his point of view, no Iratus seemed to be lurking on the inroad they chose, although he wouldn't have minded if Sarayah or one of her cronies had wandered into a web and got pounced on.

Central to the trees was a large waterhole, one at least four times bigger than the one they had made their camp near, and the ship lay on the other side of it. At first, Sheppard had wondered why his abductors hadn't made their camp at this water source, but after realising the truck that had brought him there, and had presumably carried their supplies, would never have made it across the ravine he supposed it made sense.

The inside of the battleship didn't look as damaged as the outside. Weather and vegetation had taken their toll on the exterior panel work over the thousands of years the ship had sat idle, leaving it dusty and lined like the face of an aging tribesman. The inside, on the other hand, was almost perfectly preserved, aside from signs of a few fires long since burned out.

The Atrascans led the way into the ship with their phosphorescent lamps. They were clearly familiar with the layout of the vessel as they immediately made their way to the bridge, where they set down their equipment and stretched out their aching backs, relieved to be free of their loads.

Sheppard followed them in, immediately noticing the absence of the familiar buzz of ancient tech. Sarayah was just behind him, looking around in awe at the fantastic technology surrounding her. Apparently, this was her first time inside the ancient craft, too.

'As you can see,' Parhaadon said, turning to face him, 'this would appear to be the main controls of the vessel. We've made a study of the panels here, but nothing is operational. From what we know of Lantean technology, only those with a specific gene can operate the tech. You have that gene, so we need you to initialise these systems so we can study them further.'

Sheppard squinted at him, then looked round at Sarayah, who still lurked behind him, ominously close. 'That's it? That's all you want me to do?'

'That's all _they_ need,' she told him, and he couldn't help but notice her use of the word "they". Did that mean _she_ was expecting something else once he'd done this, or was his paranoia about this woman making him analyse everything she said and did just a little too closely?

'If you step over here and initialise this for us, your work will be done,' Parhaadon said, gesturing toward one of the main control panels.

After a hint of hesitation, Sheppard crossed to the panel. Again, he felt nothing emanating from the equipment in front of him, so didn't hold out a great deal of hope as he reached out and touched it.

Nothing happened.

Sarayah arched an eyebrow at her colleague. 'Perhaps you have broken it with your earlier examinations.'

'Perhaps this man doesn't have a strong enough gene expression to operate something so big,' the man snapped back at her.

_Well, someone has a delicate ego, _Sheppard thought. _Must be a scientist thing._

She sucked in her cheeks at his tone, then turned her eyes toward the colonel. 'What's wrong with this thing, Sheppard?'

'It's broken,' he said flatly, planting his hands on his hips and trying not to smirk.

'Broken how?' Parhaadon asked.

'Hey, I'm a pilot, not an engineer,' Sheppard snorted, enjoying the man's obvious despondency. 'All I know is I can't make this thing work until you fix it.'

A hush fell between all the others. They exchanged looks, and some unspoken thought obviously passed from one to the other of them. It was Gritty who actually voiced it. 'How do we know he's not holding out on us?' he grumbled, turning his blue-lensed eyes to his commander.

Sarayah shrugged. 'I don't know much about this gift he apparently carries in his blood. Perhaps he is...perhaps he isn't.'

'The gene required to use these things isn't something I can just turn on and off,' Sheppard explained in his own defence. 'It's automatic.'

'The studies of Lantean data we've retrieved from other sources tell us there is also a mental component to controlling their devices. Perhaps that is the part you are withholding,' Parhaadon challenged.

Sheppard laughed, an ironic response considering it was actually the last thing he felt like doing. Things were about to take a slide in the wrong direction. Every instinct he had told him that. 'That's true,' he said. 'But the activation process is automatic; it's the use of the device that requires the mental control.'

'So, perhaps he's thinking "off",' Teelac suggested, pretty unhelpfully as far as he was concerned, though she looked pretty pleased with herself.

'Commander, permission to try something else,' Parhaadon requested.

'Of course,' she demurred. 'Do whatever it takes to be certain he isn't deceiving us.'

Parhaadon beckoned Sheppard with his index finger, reminding him of a bad B-Movie villain. With a sigh, he followed the man through the scorched and dead corridors to the chair room, the hub of weapons control on any ship.

'Sit,' the man ordered.

With a sinking heart, Sheppard stepped up onto the plinth and parked his backside in the control chair. There was no response to his contact, no tipping back and brilliant display of backlighting, just as he had known there wouldn't be. The damn thing was as dead as the rest of the ship.

He took his hands away from the malleable touch panels on the arms and shrugged. 'Sorry. Looks like this thing's broken, too,' he said, trying not to sound too pleased with the discovery.

'We'll see,' Gritty croaked.

Solvaat and Teelac grabbed Sheppard's arms and pressed his hands against the touch pads. Before he could even voice a protest, Sheppard felt his throat constrict, the collar tightening and crushing in on his windpipe and larynx. He snatched one hand free and grasped at the metal band, trying to gain purchase, but there was no room for fingers, not even fingernails for that matter. Teelac regained her grip on him and forced his hand down again, leaving him with no hope of pulling the collar off his airway. Pinheads of light danced in his vision as he took futile gasps that failed to appease his desire for air.

'If you wish to breathe again, Lieutenant Colonel, make this work,' Parhaadon said, pressing his hands on top of Sheppard's arms and leaning over him.

The room began a crazy dance around him, and Sheppard tried to tell the man to go to hell, though no sound would come out. It felt like his head was swelling, his eyes bulging, and his world became a whitewash of over-exposure, all the details blanching around him.

And then it was over. The pressure around his neck suddenly eased, and air rushed back in. His senses made their cautious return along with the much needed oxygen. He sputtered and swallowed, testing the pain level and finding it bearable and thankfully subsiding.

'What do you think, Commander? Do you believe him?'

Sheppard could barely focus on Sarayah's face yet, but the all too familiar cruelty with which she now looked at him sliced through the haze like an axe splitting a log. He knew what her answer was going to be before she even gave it.

'I'm not sure; he can withstand a lot of testing. Perhaps we should push him some more.'

He narrowed his eyes at her, his thoughts unrepeatable as the collar tightened once again and his air ran out. He bucked and thrashed as the others held his hands pinned firmly in place this time, as if reducing his hope of freeing himself might drive him into kick-starting the systems. Again, Sarayah released him from the choking just before he slipped into unconsciousness.

He cursed them with the few seconds of air he was allowed before they repeated the torture. Eventually, after half a dozen or so attempts to force the Lantean vessel into wakefulness, the Atrascans admitted defeat.

Sarayah pushed her subordinates aside as she now leaned into Sheppard's face, crowding him and stealing the space he so desperately craved. 'Apparently, you're not holding out on us,' she said, barely able to conceal her enjoyment of his vulnerable state.

'You knew I wasn't,' he growled, his voice horse as he pulled back as far as he could from her. 'You just needed to get your torture fix. You haven't changed at all.'

She snapped upright, her smile instantly a scowl. 'There's no point in continuing this,' she told the others. 'It's obvious our "guest" can't operate the ship until we fix the power systems.'

'There is one other area of the ship I'd like to take him to if you'll allow me to,' Parhaadon interrupted.

Sarayahdidn't look too interested, but gestured for him to lead the way. The other two supported Sheppard as he rose on shaky legs, but he soon shook them free. He didn't want their help. He could do this alone. A shove in the back from Sarayahreminded him who was in charge and he tempered his attitude, despite the fact that what he really wanted to do was give Parhaadon one of his best right hooks. He wasn't one of life's sturdiest people, but he packed a punch that could stop a heavy weight when he was pushed hard enough. This guy was already under his skin to the point he felt like flooring him. But, for the time being, Sheppard contented himself with thoughts of what he would do to the bastard once the odds were more in his favour.

They marched him down soot-filthy, shadowy corridors until they reached a room that resembled a personal chamber. Sure enough, Sheppard felt a tingle pass through his body, making the hairs on his arms rise. There was an Ancient power source active in this room.

He looked around and saw a small console on which a single faint, green light blinked forlornly. It was the only light he'd seen working in the whole ship. So what was it?

'I assume you can activate that,' Parhaadon grunted, his tone just the wrong side of sarcastic for Sheppard's liking.

Sheppard threw the man a sour look, then stepped forward and placed his hand on the panel. It glowed into life, and from behind them all, he heard a female voice begin to speak. They all turned to view the image now being projected into the centre of the room.

'I am Captain Rushia of the Lantean Ship Fortuna, and this may well be my final entry in this, my personal journal. During our attempts to travel from the Pegasus Galaxy to safety, the Fortuna came under severe attack from a Wraith vessel. Though we tried to fight then outmanoeuvre them, we could not, and eventually their weapons penetrated our shields, inflicting damage to our engines and weapons systems and leaving us falling toward the planet Karafus. We have transferred all remaining power to the forward shields in the hope of protecting the ship during entry into the atmosphere, and the crew haveplaced themselves in the stasis pods, thus, should they survive, we will be able to wait for assistance. I myself will try to steer the Fortuna to the safest possible landing site and pray to the gods for their protection.'

The hologram faded, leaving the room dark again except for the Atrascans' glowing lamps.

Sheppard thought he understood now why the ship was located where it was. The captain had steered it toward trees in the hope of breaking its fall and saving her crew. It certainly would have been preferable to land there than on the hard ground that lay elsewhere on the planet, but the craft had still been crippled beyond hope of flying again.

'Fascinating,' Parhaadon breathed, his face slack with awe. 'We've just witness the last recording of an actual, living Lantean.'

Sarayah rolled her eyes, looking utterly bored with his enthusiasm. 'Is there anything we can use in that recording to help us fix this ship?' she asked.

'Er...well, no,' he stammered, looking sheepish.

'Then, no, it isn't fascinating.'

Much as he would have loved them to fail, Sheppard saw something hopeful in the captain's recording. 'Actually, there is something in the message that might be useful,' he mused, thinking outside of the box.

The Atrascans all snapped their heads round in his direction. 'What do you mean?' Teelac was the first to ask.

'You heard what she said. The crew all put themselves in the stasis pods. If that part of the ship is still intact and they were never rescued, they'll still be there.'

Even in the gloom of that chamber, Sheppard could see Parhaadon's utter amazement. 'This all happened over ten thousand years ago. Do you really believethey might still be alive?'

Sheppard shrugged, enjoying the fact he knew something they didn't. 'Well, I've been aboard one of these ships before. They had to go into stasis because of a Wraith attack, too, and, although, their bodies had aged, they were still alive.'

'So we could rouse one and ask them to assist us with repairs...' Sarayah interrupted, imagining she had followed his plan.

'Well, no, 'cos they're so fragile that would probably kill them. But what they usually have is a virtually environment to keep their minds active, and we might be able to infiltrate that and get some information that way.'

'Virtual environment?' Sarayah repeated, looking to Parhaadon for an explanation.

'A world that only exists within the confines of this ship's computers,' he said, looking almost as excited as McKay had when he'd discovered the one on the Aurora. 'But how do we get in?'

'I just shut myself in a pod and think myself inside...easy,' Sheppard told him. _And if I do that, you might be able to get you the information you need to fix this thing so you don't need me and I can go home before your whacko friend gets her claws into me any deeper. Atlantis needs to know what you've found here._

'Where would these stasis pods be?' Sarayah asked him.

'Well, if the layout of this vessel is the same as the others I've come across, I should be able to show you the way. If you loan me a lantern, that is.'

Teelac was about to pass him her light when Sarayah caught hold of her hand and prised it from her grasp. 'I think it might be wise if I keep hold of that,' she said, giving her a disgusted look. 'This one can turn the smallest mistake into an advantage.'

Though flattered she thought he could possibly make his escape from four of them in the dark confines of a damaged ship using only a light, he felt less impressed when she pressed in close to him and said, 'We will walk together, Sheppard.'

In her other hand, he could just make out the control for his collar, so putting even one foot out of line would be a mistake at this point in time. He would have to wait for another opportunity...as always seemed to be the case.

They picked their way down the darkened corridors, but with every step they took, Sheppard's hopes of finding anything useful began to evaporate. There was no sign of activity in the area, nothing lit up at his presence, no gentle hum accompanied their progress. It was eerie; even though Sheppard was not easily spooked, something about the place made his skin crawl.

'I don't think we're gonna find anything useful down here after all,' he whispered, wondering why he felt compelled to drop his voice. 'This place is as dead as dodo.'

Sarayah gave him an odd look, and he remembered no one else there would have a clue what that simile meant. What a waste of perfectly good oxygen that had been.

When they entered the stasis chamber, it became immediately obvious there was no power there. No power meant no life support. Anyone who had survived would have had to emerge from stasis or die.

The three Atrascans shone their lanterns on the scene before them. The chamber had a faint smell of death about it, even after all these years, making Sheppard wonder if it was a connection his brain was making at some subconscious level, and there was actually no odour lingering at all. Many pods remained closed, their long dead inhabitants dried out and turning to dust and barely visible through the glass covers. Others were damaged, the glass broken, but their inhabitants looked similarly decomposed. Other pods, just a handful, lay empty.

'So much for that idea,' he muttered. 'Don't think these guys will be of much use to you.'

'Pity,' Parhaadon said, looking sorely disappointed. 'It would have been fascinating to interact with one of the Ancestors.'

'They're not so different from us,' Sheppard assured him. Then, eyeing Sarayah cagily, added, 'Well, most of us.'

'So, what killed them? The crash or failure of the system?' Sarayah asked, shining her light on some of the pods.

'Hard to say without examining them,' Parhaadon said. He wandered over to one of the broken pods and caught hold of the table, sliding it out with great effort and some assistance from Solvaat.

'Yup. This one's definitely dead,' Gritty laughed, slapping him on the back.

'Wait!' Sheppard pushed between them, forgetting he was a prisoner for just a moment and taking over. It was hard to see, but he'd known there was some reason for the bad feeling chilling his blood as they'd walked in there. Though the skin was badly decomposed and almost all flaked away, the ship had helped to preserve it to some degree, and there, in the centre of the figure's chest, was the faint impression of a feeding mark. 'The Wraith got this one. They must have followed them down and fed off the ones who were still alive.'

The others just smirked. 'Oh, they followed them down all right,' Teelac snorted. 'There's a ship just across the other ridge. They crashed on this planet, too.'

Sheppard looked from one to the other of them in turn. Clearly they had no idea what kind of threat that ship might still pose. 'Oh crap.'


	10. Chapter 10

With an exasperated shake of his head, Supreme Commander Danteeras listened to the message being broadcast on their frequency yet again. This had been going on for too long now. He'd lost count of the number of times the relentless colleagues of his prisoners had tried to hail them. Hopefully they would tire of it eventually and decide there was no reason to waste any further time on Atrasca.

He had a team of the best scientists based on Atrasca studying the craft his prisoners had arrived in, and they had confirmed it was of Lantean design, something of particular interest to him. For a while, that had caused considerable excitement, leading them to believe the Lanteans had returned to the system, but an examination of the occupants had proved less promising. Only two of them had shown any sign of the capacity to activate Lantean technology, the rest of them were clearly not in any way related to the ancient race who had abandoned the humans of Pegasus over ten thousand years ago. Two of them even appeared to be Pegasus Galaxy natives from their attire; a huge male and an attractive female, both warriors from their physiques.

Though they had the craft, one much like the description of smaller vessels found onboard the crashed warship on Karafus, it was no longer functioning thanks to the paralysing effect of the sonic weapon they'd deployed against it. Still, it was certainly worth holding onto ready for a time when Parhaadon and his science team could find a way to override the need for the Lantean gene. The man had assured him that was possible given enough time and funding – something to do with retro-engineering if his memory served him – and he truly hoped that would be the case

The message broke through again, rousing him from his thoughts. 'Planet Atrasca, we have reason to believe one of our craft has recently crashed on your planet carrying seven of our personnel. We would like permission to carry out a search and rescue mission. Please respond.'

There was no way he would agree to that. If these people were knowledgeable in the ways and technologies of the Lanteans, they might decide whatever projects they discovered in their search were a threat to them and destroy their work. They couldn't afford a setback of that size, not now they were so close to a breakthrough.

The communications officer looked at the bloated man, waiting to see if he would change his earlier instructions. Danteeras sighed and rubbed his face. 'This is ridiculous. Don't these people ever give up?' he asked no one in particular.

'Apparently not, Sir.'

'We need to get the two prisoners with the Lantean gene off world as soon as possible. They may prove useful to our cause. But we can't do that while their people keep us under such close scrutiny. Has their second vessel left our atmosphere?'

'Yes, Sir. They departed some time ago.'

'Good...good. Then perhaps their persistence is waning,' the Supreme Commander said, pinching the bridge of his nose. It was already much later than the usual time he chose to retire, and fatigue was taking its toll. 'The moment you believe they have ceased monitoring our radio channels, I want you to have Commander Thelbaar take those two men off-world to Hartunen where we can keep them hidden until they're needed.'

'Very good, Sir.'

'As I'm sure you already realise, it's vital you maintain radio silence. Now, I plan to retire to my bed for the evening and I don't want to be disturbed. Is that understood?'

'Understood, Sir,' the communications officer said, continuing to monitor the incoming calls, but not respond to them.

Danteeras trudged, heavy-limbed, to his personal quarters. He was keen to radio through to Karafus for a progress report, but with the colleagues of his prisoners constantly monitoring the airwaves, he was afraid doing so would give away their existence.

He reached his room and sat down on his bed, slipping off his boots and flexing his feet with relief. He was getting old; his bones ached relentlessly these days. Not that he would ever tell anyone. If only there was someone there to take his mind off his discomfort…

His thoughts wandered to the exotic beauty currently leading the team on Karafus, and a smile touched on his lips. Now there was a woman who knew how to make him feel better. Not that he was delusional about their relationship; Sarayah satisfied his needs in return for the position in his forces he'd granted her. He didn't mind that, as long as his son never found out. She was intelligent, strong and showed a natural talent for leadership. And because she knew the exact location of the Lantean weapon on Medulsa they hoped to acquire soon, she was an asset whether she slept with him or not. Of course, he wasn't about to let her know how valuable she was in case she withdrew her favours. He planned to make the most of her various skills for as long as possible. Which meant lying to his son, Heernat – not something he was proud of, but the boy had worshipped his mother and would not tolerate Sarayah taking her place in his father's bed. His mother, a weakling who had taken her life because she couldn't bear the constant underground confinement. The memory of her failings disgusted him.

He lay back, letting the tension of the day drain from his body. Sometimes he wished he wasn't the Supreme Commander with all the stresses such a title inevitably brought with it, but what else would he do? He was addicted to the power now; he could never let go of it...he would die before giving up his position.

He closed his eyes and imagined a certain tanned and toned beauty lying beside him, nipping at his skin in the half-playful, half-aggressive way he loved so much. Sometimes she almost drew blood, and he had to pull back, but it was pleasurable all the same. A few bruises and a drop of blood spilled were a small price to pay for such passionate encounters. As was the begging for her attentions she also insisted on. So she had dreams of control. So what? She would never really take that from him. An outsider could never rise to the rank of Supreme Commander. That was a title reserved only for those born on Atrasca.

Realising such thoughts were hardly likely to bring him the sleep he needed, he pushed them to the back of his mind, slipping out of his uncomfortably tight uniform and standing in front of his full length mirror. Running a hand back over his receding hairline, he smoothed down a few errant strands that had broken loose of the binding he used to keep them in place. No matter. It wasn't worth worrying about when he was on his way to bed. He turned sideways, examining his sizable stomach from all angles. Life at the top had certainly treated him well, but he was under no delusion that, under any other circumstances, Sarayah would not look at him twice. Not like Parhaadon. He was a fine and intelligent man, still in good shape, though not much younger than him. He could still turn a young woman's head even now with his dark good looks and sharp intellect. But if he ever found out he had so much as even thought about trying...

Danteeras cursed himself for the preposterous waves of jealousy that wracked him whenever the woman was out of his sights. Sarayah would not look at another man; she knew where the power in Atrasca lay, and if she betrayed him, she was more than aware she would swiftly end up at the bottom of the heap where she had begun. And he knew for a fact she didn't want to lose what power she had any more than he did.

He climbed into his sizeable bed and closed his eyes, the silence enveloping him and lulling him to sleep despite his current problems.

oooOOOooo

Chuck was already facing her way as Elizabeth strode into the control room a few hours later. His large eyes and lined forehead always gave him a slightly worried look, but today he appeared even more perturbed than usual.

Elizabeth had decided to sleep on the problem before making any drastic moves. Concerned her exhaustion would lead her to make a foolish decision, she had also hoped the Atrascans would see sense and respond to their hails, which she had ordered the team in the control room to continue at regular intervals during her absence. Being overtly forceful was still something that left a sour taste in her mouth, as was the thought that said action could put their own people in more danger, but if the Atrascans were unwilling to communicate with them, she had no choice but to see it through. The fact they'd spent the past several hours trying to communicate to no avail meant that the time to act had now arrived. On top of that, Zelenka and his team had identified the source of the power surge, which meant if it began to build again on their approach, they would be able to fire on the target and neutralise the threat. So, if they wanted a fight, she would give them one, one she now felt better equipped to win.

'Dial them up,' she instructed, standing at Chuck's shoulder as he punched in the co-ordinates for Atrasca yet again. The wormhole established itself, the bright flash of contact receding into the peaceful shimmer of the water-like effect the event horizon emitted. As she gazed into the undulating surface, she asked the technician to open up a channel to the planet, the one Dr Zelenka had assured her was the frequency of choice for Atrasca by examining data they had collected via deep space telemetry over the past few months but had previously had no need to examine.

'Planet Atrasca, this is Dr Weir, commander of the eight personnel we believe you have recently abducted. Please respond.'

Her request met with nothing but mild static, yet she couldn't shake the feeling someone out there had heard her.

'Planet Atrasca, this is Dr Elizabeth Weir. We know you are broadcasting on this frequency, so please respond.'

Still no response. The atmosphere in the control room was thick with apprehension. Silence meant the Atrascans were deliberately ignoring them, and Elizabeth could not allow them that luxury any longer, not after the information Ladon had armed her with. She had no doubt they could hear her calls.

'Planet Atrasca, I will give you one last chance to respond before we are forced to take direct action against you. Now I ask you once again, please respond.'

Silence. For a moment, she thought her attempt to open up a dialogue had failed, and she dropped her head, preparing to give the order for the four teams of marines she'd already briefed to prepare themselves and head down to the planet to force a response. Then, out of the blue, a voice broke through in the control room.

'This is Commander Thelbaar of the Atrascan Defence Alliance. Why are you contacting us on this channel?'

Elizabeth pulled herself upright, flashing a wary smile at her colleagues before continuing. 'I think I've already made that clear to you, Commander, as have my team in their numerous attempts to hail you. Can you explain why you've been ignoring us all this time?'

'If you are familiar with life in the Pegasus Galaxy, you will know why technology such as this has to be hidden,' he replied, but Elizabeth didn't buy his excuse for a moment.

'Do Wraith hives make contact by radio before culling your world often?' she asked, unable to keep the sarcasm from seeping into her tone.

Commander Thelbaar paused before responding. 'What makes you believe we are holding any of your people prisoner here?' he demanded.

Realising she had to keep her attitude more neutral if she wanted to move things forward, Elizabeth bit back the urge to tell him it was obvious to anyone but an idiot that they had taken the jumper and its occupants hostage and took a more professional approach. 'Your planet was their last known destination, and we're able to track our ships. The signal died whilst still within your atmosphere. They're on Atrasca somewhere, and since we noticed a power surge coming from the surface of your planet just before their vessel failed, I think it's safe to assume you know where they are now.'

Apparently dispensing with the attempts to cover over the disappearance, Thelbaar suddenly changed his tack. 'They were trespassing on Atrascan soil. We had to be sure they weren't in alliance with the Wraith.'

'They were there in search of a missing colleague,' she pointed out, 'A fact I'm not entirely convinced you were unaware of. So that leads me to believe there were ulterior motives for you abducting them.'

This time, Commander Thelbaar's silence was lengthier and somehow more pointed. Elizabeth had to wonder if that last allegation had pushed things too far too soon and wished she could take it back.

'We do not appreciate your accusations, Dr Weir. This communication is terminated,' he replied.

Knowing she had to retrieve the situation, she jumped in with a threat that felt completely out of character for her. 'You do that, and I will take definitive action to free my people...and I'm sure you wouldn't wish to be solely responsible for an outbreak of war on your planet.'

Everyone in the control room seemed to hold their breath around her as they awaited his response. Inside, Elizabeth was a mess of nerves. Though she'd deemed it necessary to get heavy with people a few times since their arrival in the Pegasus Galaxy, she never felt entirely comfortable with it, rather like she was trying to walk in shoes five sizes too big for her.

'All right. How do you suggest we move forward from here?' he asked after another length pause.

'I want to speak to someone with the authority to release my people. Are you able to do that?'

'No...no I am not.'

'Then perhaps you would be so kind as to put me in touch with someone who is,' she suggested, feeling the power now shifting definitively in her favour.

'Supreme Commander Danteeras does not like to be woken at this hour,' the commander explained, but Elizabeth wasn't prepared to listen to his excuses. She wasn't about to lose her psychological advantage over something as trivial as a few hours of sleep. Fatigue was still tugging at her, too. So if she was prepared to talk, he'd better damn well drag his ass out of bed for her.

'I think he'll be willing to make an exception in this case,' she insisted, waiting for his response.

With a sigh, the commander said, 'Very well, I will contact him. Please wait for our response.'

'Oh, don't you worry. I'm not going anywhere,' she assured him, folding her arms over her chest and staring into the shimmering blue depths of the live 'gate.

Several minutes dragged by, leaving her wondering if Thelbaar was actually going to come back to them, or had just left her hanging like a fool as some kind of retribution for her threats. She chewed the inside of her mouth, a frown scoring its way onto her forehead, but as she opened her mouth to instruct Chuck to hail the planet again, the commander's voice cut her off.

'Proceed to the co-ordinates I am about to send you. Supreme Commander Danteeras will meet with you there.'

That said the co-ordinates appeared on the screen in front of Chuck, and the communication abruptly ended. 'Well, that went as well as could be expected,' she said, fairly pleased with her work, though still not sure she would achieve her goal.

With her whole body instantly slackening, and only then did Elizabeth realise just how tense she'd been. She hoped the others in the control room hadn't noticed; she'd been going for calm and in control not frightened rigid. She turned to Chuck, who was gazing up at her, awaiting her instructions.

'Ask the four teams I briefed to be ready and assembled in the jumper bay as soon as possible,' she told him. 'Call me pessimistic, but I think I'm going to need back-up on this one...oh, and ask Dr Beckett to join us.'

'Yes, Ma'am,' she heard Chuck call after her as she headed out to get ready herself. She got the feeling this was not going to be her most amicable meeting with a new race, but considering it was indirectly her fault first John then the other seven personnel looking for him had gone missing, she figured she owed them that much at least.

**A/N Thanks once again to everyone who is reading, favouriting, and putting this on story alert, and especially to those kind enough to leave comments. I'm very grateful. Time for a break for the weekend, then back with more trouble for Sheppard on Monday. :D**


	11. Chapter 11

It was now mid morning judging by passage of time he had measured on his watch, and Sheppard sat it out in the tin hut again, sweating vital fluids from his body with no way of replenishing them. He paced, even though he knew it would just make him hotter, too agitated now to sit still. These people still needed him; they weren't about to let him sweat to death in an old lean-to when they had an ancient warship to activate and pillage.

Why the hell had he let Elizabeth talk him into going back to Medulsa? His gut instinct had told him it was a bad idea from the very moment she'd mentioned the celebration, and it was almost never wrong. He made a promise to himself there and then he would never ignore it again, and definitely not where Sarayah was concerned.

Now, he was stuck on a planet with his idea of the worst groupie imaginable, a bunch of vicious strangers, Iratus bugs, giant birds, and a crashed Wraith ship. He'd tried to find out if the Atrascans had been on board the vessel and checked what was going on in there, but no one had been willing to answer any of his questions. They were all too busy trying to figure out how to power up the Ancient ship, and apparently they couldn't focus on two things at once no matter how vital it was. That part didn't entirely surprise him; they were pretty single-minded on the whole. He made do with convincing himself no Wraith in its right mind would still be stuck around on a planet like this since it apparently had a Stargate or he wouldn't have arrived at this camp in a truck after a lengthy drive, and hoped that assumption was correct. Still, the fact so many of the Ancients had been fed on led him to believe the thing had lingered there, fighting to stay alive. The Wraith fed to appease their hunger; if they had been able to leave, they surely wouldn't have drained so many here, but would have joined with others in their colony and come back to retrieve them.

Eventually, his frustration got the better of him and he kicked the side of the hut in a show of pure, unchannelled anger. That certainly got him some attention. The door swung back only a moment later, revealing Solvaat standing on the other side of it. 'Less of the noise, Sheppard,' he grunted. 'Now get yourself out here; you're needed.'

Grateful for the opportunity to see some daylight again, Sheppard did as he was told without question. There was slight breeze outside, and it gave a little relief to his burning hot skin as it brushed across his flushed face and bare arms. Again, his clothing clung to him, and he had to wonder why Sarayah had bothered to let him wash that morning. No, actually, the reason she'd done that was pretty clear knowing their history, and it had little to do with hygiene.

'This way,' Solvaat grunted, gesturing toward the cave entrance. Sheppard noticed he held the collar control gripped tightly in his right hand. These people clearly meant to take no chances with him. They wouldn't even grant him the leeway of the few seconds it would take to pull the control from their belts. It made him feel good that they were so uncertain of him, but it also seriously marred his escape plans.

Gritty pushed him into the depths of the cave, where the air was cool and damp and instantly gratifying. At the centre of a large, clear area sat a single chair, which his companion pushed him toward and told him to sit down on.

His legs were tired from the pacing, so he accepted the offer of rest willingly. A few other soldiers loitered in the periphery of his vision, leaning against rocky walls and chatting quietly amongst themselves, while keeping an eye on him. His gut started to feel queasy, a sure sign of trouble brewing, and it told him he was about to become the main attraction in a show he wanted no part of.

Sarayah sauntered in with Parhaadon, the two of them engrossed in conversation. With a final nod of agreement – though agreement to what he didn't know – they parted and Sarayah strode up to him, a disturbing twinkle lighting her eyes.

'So, have you guys thought any more about leaving this planet?' he asked, hoping in the hour or so he'd been locked up and melting, they'd reconsidered his warning.

Sarayah just rolled her eyes. 'As we've already said, that ship crashed over ten thousand years ago. No Wraith can survive that long.'

'We'll you'd think not, wouldn't you? But if they're strong enough, with a large supply of Lanteans to feed on, and their ability to hibernate for long periods, it is possible. He probably had a stash of human snacks on his own ship to keep him going, too. I've seen one manage it before, and let me tell you – he was one tough son-of-a-bitch to kill, over ten thousand years old or not.'

'Yet kill him you did. What do you want, our congratulations?' she sneered.

He narrowed his eyes, annoyed she wasn't giving the gravity of the situation due consideration. 'No, I want you to take this seriously. You may have at least one Wraith loose on this planet, and I, for one, don't feel much like getting fed on...again.'

For a moment a hint of concern flitted across her face, but her confidence soon returned. She leaned casually on the arm of his chair. 'We are certain no creature could survive for that length of time. Besides, we scanned the ship for life signs, and there were none to be found.'

'They hibernate for unimaginable lengths of time, and while they do that, they slow their systems down so much they don't show up on life signs scans.'

Parhaadon stood at her shoulder now, an eyebrow arched and his mouth twisting into a bemused smirk. 'Lies. Our scans are thorough. They would pick them up.'

'I'm not lying...seriously...you really do not want to be here when that Wraith figures out his next course has turned up.'

'We checked inside the ship. There was no sign of life.'

'You went on board the Wraith vessel? Oh, great. Now we're definitely in trouble.'

'Why would the Wraith have stayed when they could leave by the Ancestral Ring?' Sarayah demanded. 'That just doesn't make sense.'

But apparently it did to her colleague. Parhaadon suddenly looked a little troubled as he realised there might be some truth in Sheppard's argument. 'The dialling device had been sabotaged when we first got here, Sarayah. It was only because I always insist on carrying spare crystals from our other finds when we travel that I was able to reactivate it. What if the captain of the Fortuna managed to escape in one of those Gate Ships as the wraith boarded, and she was able to sabotage the dialling device, then dial the ring using the device aboard her craft? There was one smaller ship missing from the docking bay of the Fortuna, if you recall.'

Although the idea of the captain abandoning her crew to the Wraith left a sour taste in Sheppard's mouth, he supposed she might have been forced to leave them before she could revive them. What better revenge on the Wraith than trapping them there on the planet...except, her act had also meant any other Ancients who might awake were trapped there, too? The decision to take the crystal had been harsh, but perhaps necessary in an already brutal war.

'If the Stargate was disabled ten thousand years ago and you were the first people to come here and repair it, then you have a big problem,' Sheppard assured him. 'You should leave now.'

'But the Lanteans on that ship will have died when the power to the vessel failed. The Wraith won't have been able to feed on them for long,' Parhaadon reasoned.

Sheppard laughed at the naivety of the man's assumptions. As far as he was concerned, the ship's systems had failed in the crash, but that didn't have to be the case. 'The power might not have failed then. The stasis pods might have been operational for a while; a lot of the systems might have been way back then. Maybe the Wraith cannibalised the ship once the food source had run out and their desperation to leave took over. In which case, there is a strong chance at least one of those things is out there somewhere.'

'Enough,' Sarayah bellowed. 'We are here to discuss options for activating the Lantean vessel, not Sheppard's phobia about the Wraith.'

_Phobia? _Oh, she was not turning this round on him that way. 'Haven't you learned anything about how dangerous it is to underestimate those things?' he growled. 'You tried to stop me fixing that Anti-Wraith weapon back on Medulsa and it almost cost everyone there their lives.'

She threw her head back and laughed, instantly silencing him. 'How you twist things, Sheppard. I had to force you to fix that device. You wanted to leave us to the Wraith's mercy...knowing they have none.'

For a moment he was so stunned by her deceit he could only stare back at her, open-mouthed. 'Wh...what are you talking about?' he eventually sputtered out.

'I had to force you and your friends to stay to fix up and activate the Medulsan defence system. And you took quite some persuasion, if I recall. You may have convinced everyone there I was the one in the wrong, but no one here will believe you.' She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a smug smile, one that instantly set his blood boiling.

Getting to his feet, he was in her face and yelling back at her before he could think better of his actions. 'You know that isn't true, you lying little –'

The collar cut him off before he could finish that sentence, but his sentiment was clear. He felt hands pulling him away from her, pinning him back down in the chair while his wrists and ankles were secured to it.

Sarayah held the control in front of his face as he continued to struggle for air. 'Now, if you promise to be a nice little prisoner, I might just turn that collar off.'

He couldn't answer her, but he figured his expression said it all. Even so, she loosened off the collar and allowed him to catch his breath. The punishment had given him time to cool off, and he maintained the presence of mind not to explode at her again.

'That's better,' she purred, clearly in her element now she had him restrained and dominated. 'So, we have a Lantean ship, but no idea how to fix it.'

'Yeah, that's a real bummer,' he quipped, squinting up at her as she paced in front of him.

'And we have a prisoner capable of flying it, if only it could be repaired.'

He frowned, not sure he liked the way this was going. 'I don't remember ever agreeing to fly that thing for you.'

A punch to his shoulder from Solvaat told him to shut up and listen.

'So our problem is...we need to find someone capable of fixing the Ancestors' technology. Now where would we find someone like that?'

Realising what she meant, Sheppard clamped his mouth shut and refused to discuss it.

'You're going to tell us how we can dial your city and ask Dr McKay to come through.'

She smiled down on him, but her eyes remained cold – hard. Now this was the Sarayah he knew and loathed. This was the woman who had made his life a living hell for several long days two years ago. Well, be that as it may, he wasn't about to give her Atlantis' address.

'We need Dr McKay, Sheppard. Give me the address and I'm sure we can negotiate a deal acceptable to all parties.'

Negotiate! As if she even knew the meaning of the word. What she meant was she'd tell whatever lies or make whatever threats were necessary to get what she wanted, then she'd renege on whatever she'd agreed to anyway.

'He's dead,' he said, the words forming subconsciously and spilling out of his mouth before he'd had time to think them through.

She narrowed her eyes at him, no doubt trying to read his face for signs of deceit. He stared straight back at her, hoping to make her believe the fallacy.

'You lie,' she said flatly, then punched him hard with a right most heavy weights would have been proud of.

He wobbled his jaw, testing she hadn't broken anything. It hurt like hell, but nothing seemed dislodged or faulty. 'No, I don't. The Wraith attacked Atlantis months ago. McKay was killed in the first wave assault before we had a chance to evacuate.'

Wow, this lie was getting more elaborate by the minute. He'd better remember what he'd said, no matter how many times she punched him – which she then proceeded to do, same punch, square on his jaw.

'And you expect me to believe that?' she sneered, flexing her hand. 'I know your type, Sheppard. If the Wraith were attacking your city, you wouldn't leave it to them; you'd die defending it. Just like you plan to die defending your friend now.' She cracked him with a backhand this time, leaving his right cheekbone stinging. 'Unfortunately, we have no intention of killing you. So, no matter how awkward you are, and how many lies you tell, we will find ways of hurting you that inflict pain, but by no means will kill you.'

'Great!' he breathed, testing his bonds. Who was he kidding? Even if he could break loose, they'd floor him with the collar in seconds.

'Solvaat,' she said, and the man stepped forward. This time he didn't have the remote for the collar in his hand. He had something else, a small device with a rounded end and a cylindrical metal body that just spanned his palm. He lifted Sheppard's shirt and jabbed it into his stomach, triggering it and sending some sort of power wave through him that left him bordering on vomiting.

'What the hell was that?' he gasped.

'Sound waves,' Parhaadon explained. 'When pitched at the right resonance, they can have a seriously disruptive effect on the human body. Should we see how disruptive?'

'I don't suppose it would help if I say "no",' Sheppard asked. But his joke only earned him another blast, one that left his heart skipping at an alarmingly elevated rate.

'Tell us how we can contact your superior, Dr Weir,' Sarayah ordered.

Sheppard lifted his head and fixed her with all the iciness he could muster. 'My name is John Sheppard, Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, 163-23-4111.'

Sarayah frowned at him, then asked the others, 'What is he doing?'

'I think it's a resistance technique,' Teelac announced, seemingly pleased she knew the answer when Sarayah didn't. 'We're trained to do something similar. If captured by the enemy, we're permitted to give our name, rank and the year of our birth. Focusing on what you _can_ say stops you from saying anything more.'

'I see,' Sarayah said, and Sheppard could almost hear the cogs turning in her mind as she thought over potential methods of extracting information from him. 'Well, I'm sure we can make him talk eventually. Everyone has their breaking point.'

Inwardly groaning, Sheppard wondered how he had let this happen to him again so soon after...No, no, he couldn't think about that right now. The torment Kolya had meted out with his famished Wraith prisoner had pushed him as close to his breaking point as anyone ever had. Remembering how that had made him feel would only weaken his resolve.

So instead, he thought about how these people might treat Rodney were they to get him here and he then couldn't fix the ship. The desire to prevent his friend's torment would make him stronger. He could hold out far longer than Rodney...he'd been trained to cope with crap like this.

Solvaat pushed the sonic device into his side, sending a sickening pain through his kidney and making his stomach lurch again. It was all he could do to hold onto what little food and water they'd given him that morning.

'Do you have anything you'd like to tell us now?' Sarayah asked, bending down to bring her face in line with Sheppard's.

Without even bothering to look at her, he panted, 'My name...is John Sheppard, Lieutenant...Colonel United States...Air Force, 163-23-4...111.'

She snapped upright giving the order for Solvaat to continue as she strode away. Lost in another wave of nausea as Gritty stuck him with the sonic device again, Sheppard barely even noticed her leave.

oooOOOooo

The last hour hadn't really been that bad. There was only so much pain and queasiness you could go through before you numbed to it, at least to a degree.

While the Atrascans did their best to get Atlantis' address out of him, Sheppard thought about college football, and some of the best Hail Mary's he'd ever seen. He thought about flying every different aircraft he'd ever had the pleasure to pilot, from Chinooks to F302s, and he thought about Johnny Cash songs, too. At that precise moment, _Thirteen_ was stuck on loop in his brain, but considering the lyrics, he supposed it was pretty appropriate.

Every few minutes, when the pain stopped and they asked him a question, he would repeat his mantra of name, rank and number to stop himself saying anything else he might regret.

Eventually, he heard the steady gait of Sarayah's stride returning to the cave, and through the haze of his disorientation he heard her ask, 'Has he said anything useful yet?'

'Not yet.' Parhaadon grabbed his hair and tugged back his head. 'Tell us how to contact your leader,' he said, speaking loudly and annunciating each syllable with great precision.

Sheppard glowered at him, then let his eyes slide to Sarayah now standing just behind her subordinate. 'My name is John Sheppard, Lieutenant Colonel in the –' He couldn't finish his run-through this time as his stomach finally gave up the battle to hold onto his meagre breakfast – all over Parhaadon's shoes. The punch the man gave him in response barely registered.

'This is getting us nowhere,' Sarayah grumbled. 'Get him out of here. Put him in the hut.'

Sheppard offered no resistance as Teelac and Solvaat unbound him and bundled him up from the chair, dragging him across the rough ground to the sweltering tin building and throwing him through the door without a thought for the injury his fall might cause. Spitting dirt and grit from his mouth, Sheppard lay where he'd landed, enjoying the different kind of discomfort his present surroundings offered, a hard floor and heat – stifling, strength-sapping heat.

It was only after a few minutes had passed that he realised he wasn't alone in there. Somehow finding the strength to lift his head, he peered back toward the door to see who was with him. Sarayah stood silhouetted there, hands on hips. He couldn't tell what her face was saying, but her stance was none too promising.

She walked toward him and his heart sank. This wasn't going to be good; his gut instinct said this would end up being painful, too. He was right. She delivered a firm boot to his ribs that doubled him over in an instant.

'I suggest you give serious thought to supplying us with some useful information, or, I promise you, you won't be able to handle the consequences.' She got down on one knee, gripping his jaw and lifting his face to hers. 'And if you ever try to tell them what happened on Medulsa again...well...I don't have to tell you how angry that would make me, do I?'

'Get...your hands...off me,' he panted, as the pain in his side subsided. He could just barely make out her eyes glistening in the vague light reaching them from the doorway. They were as hard as he remembered them now, and he knew the threats she made would not be empty ones. But there was no way he was going to give them a way to get their hands on McKay. The man had been freaked out enough on Medulsa; he wouldn't put his friend through imprisonment at this woman's hands again.

She let go with a push and stood up, striding back toward the open door. 'We'll leave you in here for the night. At least those life sucking insects won't get you.'

'No. And with any luck, the Wraith your people no doubt woke up while blundering around their ship won't find me in here either,' he replied, dropping his head back down to the stony ground the hut was set on.

'I will not fall for your lies, Sheppard. No creature could survive that long.'

'No? Well, hopefully once he's fed on you guys, that'll give me the chance to get free and get the hell outta here,' he called after her.

He heard her steps falter for just a moment, but she didn't stop, slamming the door with a rattle behind her as she secured the lock and left him lying there.

He stayed where he was a while longer, waiting for the discomfort and the fatigue to lessen their dual grip on him. Outside, the breeze began to pick up, causing the dusty soil to swirl as it blew through the gap under the door. When grit hit his eyes he was forced to lift his head again, and, knowing he couldn't stay like that, he willed himself to crawl over to the wall and lean against it, the hot metal heating up his skin through his shirt, but he didn't care. He leaned his head back against it and tried to fall asleep.

His throat burned after his stomach acid had scorched a trail on exit. He craved water, but figured he wasn't likely to get some any time soon considering they wanted to make him co-operate. Keeping him hungry, thirsty and exhausted, along with inflicting pain and other kinds of discomfort were tried and tested ways of extracting information he was all too familiar with. So, figuring he should remedy the tiredness while he had the chance, he allowed his mind to begin to drift toward sleep.

The wind rattling the door woke him almost immediately. In a situation like this you had to survive on your nerves, so any noise meant he was on the alert. That door was going to keep him awake. He wondered if there was some way of wedging it to stop it rattling against the frame. Of course, he could just sit against it himself, that would be the simplest solution.

Walking wasn't an option yet, so he crawled and scrabbled his way across to it, falling heavily on his backside and leaning back against the offending door. It rattled again at the contact, and in the scant light breaking in around the outer edge of its solid surface, he noticed the hinge wobbling from the corner of his eye. It took a couple of seconds for the significance of that sight to register, longer than it normally would, then he noticed the two sizable screws holding the bottom hinge in place were loose. One even turned in his hand when he tried it.

Suddenly, despite all he'd been put through over the past several hours, he found the energy to get to his feet and grope around for the other hinges in the gloom. Each and every screw, six in all, was loose, probably due to the extreme temperatures expanding and contracting some the metals he supposed, though he was no expert in those kinds of things. Perhaps it was just poor construction. Some were difficult to turn, but gave way under his persistent attempts to wind them. Eventually all six were free moving, but he was careful to leave them in place. It was still fairly light outside, and there was a chance, though very slim, that someone might bring him something to eat or drink before night set in. They'd already said they wouldn't let him die, so they would have to do that eventually.

He tightened the screws enough to ensure that if someone came the door would remain hanging, but loose enough for him to remove them quickly later. Outside the hut, he heard the truck arrive back at camp, probably bringing more supplies. That might come in useful, he realised, sitting back down again and leaning against the door to stop the noise. Right now, he needed sleep. Hopefully, when refreshed, he might be able to pull all these pieces together into a plan that would get him far away from there faster than they could operate his restraining collar.


	12. Chapter 12

When Sheppard woke again he was in complete darkness. It appeared several hours had passed, and his pain and sickness had subsided, though his hunger caused an annoying ache in the pit of his stomach. Hunger he could ignore for now; he wasn't so weak he couldn't get to his feet and move, so it was a nuisance, rather than a problem.

He leaned his ear to the now much cooler metal of the door, hearing nothing close by to suggest it was being guarded. He hoped it wasn't as he began to carefully remove the screws holding the heavy hinges in place. A couple of times metal squeaked against metal and he paused, flinching at the sound of it and half expecting someone to burst in and catch him in the act. Thankfully, that didn't happen, another sure sign no one was loitering directly outside the door.

After what felt like an age, all six screws were out. The door swung toward him and he caught it, peering out through the gap the movement opened up. As he'd thought, there was no one close to the hut, but he could just make out a couple of soldiers standing in the mouth of the dimly lit cave. Hopefully, it was dark enough outside the hut for him to move without them noticing. But Teelac had been patrolling last night when Sarayah had chained him outside; he doubted they were dumb enough to leave the encampment completely without cover.

Of course, if he left the hut door swinging open in the blustering winds, it wouldn't be long before someone worked out he'd escaped. He needed to find something to wedge the door shut with. Opening it a little wider, he allowed the moonlight from outside to cascade in and illuminate the stony floor as he search for something – anything – big enough to jam the door closed with. All he could see were small stones sticking up from the dusty ground, nothing big enough to keep the door shut. He kicked at anything within reach of his outstretched leg, and, to his surprise, he found one that appeared small on the surface, but the bulk of it obviously lay hidden below the dirt in the way an iceberg lurks beneath an ocean. For once, luck appeared to be on his side.

'Now you're talking,' he breathed, kicking at it as best he could while not releasing the door. So intent was he on the task at hand he almost didn't hear the boots now crunching the sandy soil on their way to the hut. 'Crap!'

He peered out, spotting Sarayah heading out from the cave in his direction. In a flurry of mildly controlled panic, he grabbed two screws from the floor, and put one in the top and bottom hinges, but that was all he had time to do. He had to hope they held strong enough for his nemesis not to notice. Pushing the remaining screws into his pockets, he darted across the hut and sat back against the wall, pretending to be asleep.

He heard the door swing back and it thankfully didn't fall off. So far so good. Sarayah crossed from the door over to where he was sitting, shining a torch in his face. 'Here,' she grunted, kicking his boot and tossing a flask onto his stomach as he pretended to rouse. 'Drink.'

He unscrewed the cap and drank deeply from the contents. It eased his still sore throat and chilled its way down to his empty stomach providing him instant relief. Of course, it wouldn't appease his hunger for long, he knew, but it provided some temporary respite.

'I hope this time alone has helped you to reconsider your stance,' she said, watching him intently as he drank.

He finished the contents of the flask before answering her. 'If you mean have I decided to betray my friends to you, the answer's still no.'

She smirked as if that news pleased her, then sat down beside him, her shoulder pressed to his. 'McKay would not be harmed. We need him alive to fix the Lantean ship.'

He leaned away, breaking the contact between their bodies. 'And I suppose you'll just let him go once he has it up and running for you?'

'Of course.'

'So what would happen if something malfunctioned?'

'Parhaadon tells me once the ship is operational, he will be able to repair things himself in future... when he's had time to study it.'

'Sure he does...he's as arrogant as McKay,' Sheppard muttered, smirking himself now at the thought of how much grief the scientist would currently be giving Elizabeth over his disappearance.

'Parhaadon is a very capable man...he'll master that ship yet,' she assured him.

'But you'll still need me,' he said, keeping his tone flat and non-confrontational.

'For a time – but Parhaadon says he will be able to override the necessity for Lantean genes to master the control systems eventually.'

'Yeah, Parhaadon says a lot of things,' he muttered, following it with a question. 'And then what?'

In the darkness, he felt her hand slip onto his thigh and snake its way up toward his crotch. Much as he would have been distressed by that anyway, he realised she was about to run her fingers right over the screws concealed in his pocket. He brushed her away a second before she did so, hoping that was the end of it.

'Then you're all mine,' she whispered in his ear, her lips brushing against his lobe and making him jerk his head away. She pushed up to her feet and took the flask from him, heading back out the door. 'Hopefully you'll feel more co-operative in the morning, Lieutenant Colonel. Sleep well.'

The door closed, and the two screws thankfully held. He listened to the sound of her walking away, inwardly fuming that he hadn't punched her square in the face for touching him that way. This was heading in an all too familiar direction, and he had absolutely no intention of giving her the chance to humiliate him again. That sordid little demonstration had been all the incentive he needed to get his ass out of there. He'd bide his time for a short while, let things settle after her visit, and then he'd be good to go.

He crawled back toward the door, blindly groping in the dirt for the stone he'd been desperately trying to unearth. After a few minutes of futile scrabbling, he located it, finding its edges and digging around it. It felt ideal as he pulled it free, long and wedge shaped so he could pull it under the door behind him to hold it in place. With luck and a stiff wind behind him, he might actually get to the Stargate before they could reach him.

*****

After allowing what he considered a safe amount of time to pass, Sheppard pressed his ear to the door and listened. He could hear voices, but they were distant, probably over at the cave mouth, so not in his immediate vicinity.

Quietly turning the two screws still holding the door on, he opened it slowly to minimise any noise and poked his head out to assess the situation. The voices were, indeed coming from somewhere near the cave entrance, but the footsteps to his left were a lot closer. He shoved the door back in place just as the soldier currently patrolling passed by.

That had been close, but he supposed it gave him time to get the hell out of there before they came round again. He slipped out, pulling the door shut with the wedge that thankfully held it in place. If you looked real close you could see a bigger gap at the top than at the bottom of the door, but you had to look _real _close. With any luck, whoever was on patrol tonight wasn't that observant.

He looked around, getting his bearings and judging the best route to take. It didn't take him long to figure out, because his eyes fell on the dimly illuminated truck that had brought him to camp. Considering it appeared to be the only vehicle there, and that he knew the 'gate lay a long way from the camp, that had to be his best option. _Jackpot!_

He crept, crawled and rolled his way over to it, using various rocks and boxes of equipment to conceal his movements. Within less than five minutes he was silently opening the passenger door and climbing inside, sliding over to the driver's seat and trying to work out how to start the engine. He pushed every button, turned every knob, and pulled every lever he could see, but not one of them had any effect. He thumped his hands on the dashboard in frustration, then winced at his stupidity. Thankfully, his anger didn't seem to have attracted anyone's attention.

_Keep it together, John_, he told himself. _I figure you've got one shot at this, so don't blow it!_

The darkness in the cab didn't help, but eventually, after what felt like an age of groping around and squinting against the gloom, he spotted a slot near the steering wheel, and although it wouldn't take a key, he figured it was some kind of card-reader...and the card it would read undoubtedly started the vehicle.

'Dammit!' he whispered. So much for this being his "one chance". It looked like he was going to have to head out of there on foot.

And he was about to do that when he heard voices getting closer.

'Hey, Fuulden. Make sure you bring some Garrau wine back with you this time...oh, and some malleu, too.'

'Yeah, I'll be sure to let Danteeras know you asked for them; he's bound to say yes.'

Fuulden...logistics! He was the truck driver. That was his job. Crap! And it sounded like he was taking the vehicle to the 'gate for another supply run. How much stuff did these guys need? This was so not good.

He squeezed through an opening into the curtained back and hid in there. Maybe he could just ride through with Fuulden as far as the Stargate and jump out before he went through. Then, he would just have to dial through to a friendly planet and get them to communicate with Atlantis for him. Home for dinner.

His stomach grumbled at the idea of food. _Not good timing, _he thought, trying not to focus on anything else food related.

The driver's door opened, and he felt the rocking motion of Fuulden climbing into the cab and slamming the door closed again.

_Just stay low, this'll work out, _he tried to convince himself. Sometimes you just had to be an opportunist escapee. This wasn't exactly what he'd planned, but it was pretty good all the same.

Fuulden fired up the truck, shouted his goodbyes to the patrol, and set the vehicle in motion. Sheppard steadied himself in the back, the stiff suspension throwing him around whenever they drove over a bump. That in itself wouldn't have been a problem if the empty crates Fuulden was taking with him to be refilled hadn't come sailing down the baseboards and smacked into him, crushing the air out of him with a louder than was safe for the situation grunt. Not that he had any choice in the matter. Didn't this guy know how to secure a load?

The truck slammed to a halt, and, knowing he had very little time to act before Fuulden would either reach for his remote or his gun, Sheppard kicked the crates away and launched himself back through the window into the cab. He forced himself through the gap, scraping his ribs as he slithered through and caught hold of Fuulden round the neck, making him grasp his arm to free his airway rather than reach for a weapon.

There wasn't much room for manoeuvre in there, and Fuulden was thickset and sturdy, not an easy body to move. Mustering all his strength, Sheppard managed to slam a clawing, swearing, gasping Fuulden's face into the steering wheel. The first time only seemed to anger him more, and he jammed an elbow into Sheppard's solar plexus, folding him over, but he refused to let go of the man, knowing if he did he would be back in Sarayah's hands before he could blink. He wasn't ready to give up on this escape plan just yet. Another good slam bust the man's nose, and another left him so dazed the fight seemed to instantly leave him. The vehicle was still trundling along, though heading straight for a rocky mound. Grabbing the wheel, Sheppard set it on a clearer course, hoping no one in the camp had noticed the poor driving. Then, he snatched Fuulden's hat for protection against their sonic weapons, fumbling the man's collar control and gun from his belt before trying to wrestle him out of the driver's seat so he could take control of the vehicle.

Fuulden, unfortunately, had other ideas. Before Sheppard could get a firm hold on him, he opened the door and fell out of the cab, landing in a crumpled heap in the dust. The colonel scrambled over into the freshly vacated seat, continuing to steer while leaning out to close the door. He caught sight of the soldier on patrol not only heading toward his fallen colleague, but shouting instructions for others to do the same. It wasn't going to take them long to figure out what happened, but he still had the truck; that had to give him an advantage.

Slamming the door shut and pulling Fuulden's hat on securely for protection, he set about trying to work out what control did what. There were no foot pedals, but there had to be something on the dash that would make this creaky old tank move a little faster. Over the rumble of the engine he could hear raised voices yelling to one another. Without the aid of a rear-view mirror, he had to look back through the window he'd slipped through, now spying several soldiers hot-footing it after him. So far, his collar wasn't tightening. Did that mean their remotes had limited range? If so, all he had to do was put enough distance between himself and his captors to be able to dial the 'gate back to Atlantis before they could activate it.

Spotting a sizable lever on his right, he pushed it forward, feeling a welcome, if somewhat anticlimactic surge in the engines power. Gradually, the truck began to move a little faster, but if it didn't pick up soon it wasn't going to be quick enough.

The truck shook and vibrated uncontrollable as the speed mounted. Over his shoulder, through the window to the rear of the truck, Sheppard could see the soldiers giving chase, though he couldn't make out features. If they got much closer, the remotes would kick in and he would be choked into submission. No way did he want to face Sarayah if that happened. The question of whether the ten lashes for attempted escape still stood flashed through his mind, but he repressed it. This was not the time or place to let all that anguish surface.

'Come on!' he practically screamed at the truck, thumping the dash and hitting a button in the process. That button obviously activated some kind of turbo in the engine, perhaps something designed to give it more thrust for steep inclines, and he suddenly felt the speed increase rapidly. The engine revved a gutsy chorus of encouragement as he looked back and saw the soldiers desperately trying to keep pace, but losing the battle.

'Yes...atta girl,' he cried, slapping the steering wheel with his palms. 'Now all I have to do is find my way back to the 'gate without running out of fuel...Fuulden would have refuelled, right?'

The route ahead was dark and thick with rocks, some big enough to be called boulders. The headlights were dim and barely illuminated them in time to avoid hitting them He doubted the vehicle was intended to travel at these speeds in the dark, but he wasn't about to let that stop him pressing on. Once or twice he glanced off a huge rock, but the truck was made of tough stuff; it just kept rolling on.

At least it did until it came to a tumultuous, thumping halt only a mile or so from its starting point. A jolt shook though it and the engine and every control at his disposal died. 'What the...No...no, no, no!' he sputtered. 'Don't do this to me!'

He pushed, turned, jabbed and thumped every gadget he could see, but nothing made any difference. The truck was dead, the front buckled in by an unseen force.

Knowing he didn't have time to pop the hood and figure out the intricacies of the inner workings, he threw open the door and spilled out, trying to make a run for it. He'd got no further than a few paces when a cracking sound rang out as he hit something that knocked him clean off his feet.

Lying back and staring into blackness of the sky above him, he tried to fathom what the hell had hit him. His body ached, his head spun, and he tingled all over as if all his cells were vibrating. It had to be some kind of sonic defence system. That was what had caused the huge ruckus when the truck had stopped. It had almost sounded like thunder.

His mind slipped in and out of focus, his ears ringing, his breaths short and rasping as the sound rattled round in his head along with the church bells that seemed to have taken up residence there. It was only when another sound, the sound of shouting and boots slamming down in dirt, that his sense of self-preservation kicked back in. He got to his feet, stumbled, fell, then crawled into the cover of some nearby rocks. Then, as his thinking cleared again, he realised he was too close to the truck to stay hidden for long. So he stumbled and struggled further from the accident site, all the time with the sound of running and yelling pressing in on him.

Eventually, his strength left him, and he collapsed in a gasping heap. This plan wasn't going quite how he'd...well...planned it. The perimeter he suddenly realised. They'd mentioned a perimeter when the Iratus bug had tried to jump on him last night. He was at the perimeter and couldn't get any further. They could deactivate it to pass through, but he couldn't.

'Is he in it?'

Sarayah's voice cut through him as she ran onto the scene of the disabled truck. _Dammit!_ She was going to kick his ass for sure after this.

'No, Commander.' But he can't have gone far because the perimeter's still operational.'

'Leave it with me,' she ordered. 'I'll track him down.'

Even though his body was crying out for rest, Sheppard started moving again. He needed to keep on the go; the only thing in his favour was the darkness, and he hoped he could use that to shield himself until they gave up...if they gave up.

His theory was sound except he'd forgotten about one thing. Suddenly, the collar tightened, and he was left airless and desperate, still crawling in the hope of moving out of range. In the darkness, he ran into something...something that felt suspiciously like...

Sarayah stood over him, her face barely visible, but he could feel the satisfaction oozing from her. He slumped to the floor, knowing it was over. His lungs ached for air – he couldn't move any further.

He rolled onto his back, the collar crushing into his skin as she knelt beside him, and several shadowy figures crowded in around her.

'Nice try, Lieutenant Colonel. Really. You have our admiration. But it's time to get you back to camp.'

She dialled back the control for the collar, but nothing happened. Sheppard vaguely registered the mild panic in her expression as she tried again to no avail. 'My control isn't working. Someone else try.'

Everything blurred at that point, their forms barely distinguishable from the dark surrounding them, their words one jumbled, mind rattling noise. He knew was losing the fight as he felt her finger trying to grasp the collar, gouging his skin in the process.

'We have to get it off or it will kill him.'

Something was wrong; they couldn't stop it choking him.

The last thing he saw as oblivion claimed him was Parhaadon's face looming close, and a flash of metal slicing through the darkness...

* * *

**A/N Thanks once again to all those of you still following this story, especially those of you kind enought to leave comments. Much appreciated. :D**


	13. Chapter 13

While Sheppard was making his bid for freedom, Elizabeth was putting her own safety in the very hands of the people who had first taken him prisoner. Having landed at the co-ordinates given by Commander Thelbaar, Dr Weir, Carson, and the team of marines accompanying them were escorted to a hidden doorway in a rock face that led into a life shaft.

They journeyed down for several long minutes, their Atrascan hosts keeping a silent watch over them.

Carson leaned over toward Elizabeth and whispered, 'Friendly bunch, aren't they?'

'Not exactly,' she whispered back. 'But at least they're letting us in.'

The Atrascan guards had insisted the marines leave their weapons at the surface. They had politely yet firmly refused the suggestion in a manner that showed there was no room for negotiation. There was absolutely no way Elizabeth was taking a team of people down into a military facility unarmed, and she was glad they'd stood their ground. It also helped that the Atrascans had backed down after a few moments of confrontation, of course. She wondered if that was because they knew she and her people had Lantean technology and weapons at their disposal and could potentially prove a formidable foe.

At the bottom of the elevator ride, the doors opened to reveal Commander Thelbaar waiting for them in a gloomy corridor.

'Dr Weir, I presume,' he said, his tone cold and unwelcoming. 'This way please.'

Elizabeth glanced at Carson. 'This way, people,' she said, and they all followed him deeper into the facility.

The atmosphere down there was deeply oppressive, the yellow phosphorescent lamps meant to compensate for the lack of natural daylight casting everything in an unhealthy and jaundiced glow. It felt like the building itself was sick and failing as the light buzzed and flickered to accompany their progress.

'Good heavens. Are you telling me these people live like this all the time?' Carson rasped, leaning over to Elizabeth again. 'No wonder they're so bloody grumpy. It's enough to make anyone cranky.'

'I know what you mean. I'm already getting a headache,' she agreed.

Their escort came to an abrupt halt as they turned a corner and came face to face with a set of double doors. 'Wait here,' Thelbaar ordered, before slipping into the room that lay beyond them.

Elizabeth glanced over at her shoulder at the four marines accompanying them. They remained unfazed, and she was glad to have them there. Although she'd done it a few times since her arrival in the Pegasus Galaxy, she never felt completely at ease with putting herself on the front line. Back on Earth, all the negotiations she'd headed up had taken place on neutral territory with tight security – her life had never truly been in the balance. But here, well, she wouldn't put it past these people to turn around and shoot her to keep their existence secret.

Eventually, the door opened wide enough for them to enter. 'Supreme Commander Danteeras will see you now,' Commander Thelbaar announced, granting them entry.

'Wonderful,' Elizabeth breathed, leading the way.

The room they entered seemed to be a large office, and behind an ostentatious and overly polished desk sat exactly the sort of over-weight self-satisfied pug of a man she'd been expecting to see.

'Supreme Commander Danteeras. Thank you for agreeing to see us,' she said, hoping to commence discussions on the right foot.

After a pause for effect, Danteeras replied, 'To be frank with you, I rather got the impression refusal wasn't an option, Dr Weir.'

He slid his eyes down her body to her feet and back up again, then he smirked as if pleased by what he saw.

_Oh, you did not just do that! _she thought, while managing to keep a professional demeanour. 'I'm sorry if you were made to feel that way, but after many, many long hours of refusal to respond to our hails, I felt it necessary to bring a certain amount of pressure to bear. Now we're here, I'm prepared to wipe the slate clean and start over.'

Again, he allowed a pregnant pause to follow, then he announced, 'That sounds like a wonderful idea. Now, what can we do for you, Dr Weir?'

She looked at Carson, who gave her an encouraging smile, then took a deep breath before beginning. 'It's our belief that you're holding eight of our personnel prisoner. We'd like them back...please.' The please was more of an afterthought, than a genuinely expressed sentiment, but she kind of liked the way the pause made it sound.

'And what makes you believe that?' he asked, his smug smile widening as he leaned back in his seat and placed his fingertips together, watching her over them.

'Well, our first clue was the fact this is their last known location, the second is the fact the tracking device aboard their vessel never left your atmosphere, and the third is the fact we monitored a massive pulse of power fired from your planet's surface just before that tracking signal died. Now, I have no desire to dance around the issue any more, so let's just be honest with one another, shall we?'

She fixed him with a hard stare, and the smile slipped from his face. 'Your people invaded our airspace. We were perfectly within our rights to shoot them down.'

'Did you give them a warning...a chance to explain why they were there?' she demanded.

'Anyone bringing advanced technology to our planet is deemed a threat. We acted within our normal security protocols.'

'Really?' she said, folding her arms over her chest in a more challenging posture. 'So it was nothing to do with the fact you saw an opportunity to obtain not only some Lantean technology, but a person, or possibly people, with the ability to operate it?'

Danteeras's eyes flicked to his commander, who lurked near the door with the two guards who had escorted them there. Elizabeth noted the exchange; he was nervous – she'd struck a chord.

'Why would you assume such a thing?' he asked, flashing her a nervous grin he simply couldn't maintain.

'Let's put it this way,' she smiled back at him, feeling stronger now she knew she had him worried. 'You may not know anything about me, but I know an awful lot about what you and your troops have been up to in recent months. Your movements are being monitored, and if _we_ perceive _you_ as a threat to ourselves, we won't hesitate to act.'

'There is no call for you to consider us a threat,' he said, his smile strained and his voice a little shaky. 'You came to us with your aggressive accusations – we have done nothing to make an enemy of you.'

'You've taken eight of my personnel prisoner,' she reminded him. 'Now, if you hand them over, I would take that as a show of goodwill between our peoples, and if what you've been doing lately is your attempt to build a defence against the Wraith, then we might be able to negotiate an alliance that might benefit us both...in the future.'

Danteeras eyed her with a little more respect this time. Then he nodded. 'Very well, Dr Weir. An alliance with people such as yourselves is not something to be discarded lightly. Commander Thelbaar, would you bring Dr Weir's people here?'

The commander respectfully dipped his head. 'Yes, Sir.' He slipped out of the door.

The distinct lack of chairs in the room told Elizabeth that Danteeras wasn't used to making other people feel comfortable...or even equal. His subordinates were clearly forced to stand when facing him. That thought left her worried that the speed with which he had given his agreement had been rather too sudden, and she wondered what obstacles they might meet before leaving.

It took some time for the commander to return, but when he did, she was very relieved to see he'd bright Rodney, Teyla, Ronon and all off Major Lorne's team with him. There was, however, one person still missing.

Carson quickly carried out a preliminary check of their colleagues, while Elizabeth addressed the Atrascan military leader. 'And what about the other prisoner?' she said calmly.

He frowned as if puzzled, but she got the feeling he knew exactly what she meant.

'There were only seven people on that vessel, Dr Weir, and I think you'll find they're all here.'

'I was referring to the man who was kidnapped from Medulsa.'

A brief flash of surprise was masked almost as quickly as it appeared. 'As I've already said, I know nothing about that.'

Realising she was getting nowhere fast, she turned to her newly freed personnel instead. 'Are you all, okay?' she asked them, looking to Carson for his medical opinion, too.

'They're all doing well,' he assured her. 'Nothing worse that minor bruises and abrasions.'

'If you call being knocked out during a crash and drugged to keep us quiet doing well!' McKay protested. 'My head is killing me!'

Weir looked at Carson for his opinion. 'They do look as if they're recovering from recent sedation,' he agreed, 'but they'll be fine in an hour or so.'

'We are well enough, Dr Weir,' Teyla assured her. 'Have you found Colonel Sheppard yet?'

'No. I was about to ask you if there was any sign of him where you were being held.'

She shook her head. 'We have only recently awoken, but we tried calling out to him and there was no reply.'

'As I said...we know nothing of the disappearance of this...Colonel Sheppard,' Danteeras reiterated.

Ronon gave a guttural growl; clearly his opinion of the supreme commander's honesty was in line with her own. Tiring of his obvious deception, Elizabeth said something she knew would at least get a reaction from him. 'Then perhaps you can put me in touch with Sarayah. I'm sure she'll know more about this than you claim to.'

She saw his expression falter, just a momentary flicker, but it was there all the same.

'Sarayah. Sarayah's working with these guys. Oh, this is bad!' Rodney blustered, looking shocked along with slightly shaky now.

'Well, Supreme Commander Danteeras hasn't told me as much yet, but he was just about to,' Elizabeth told him.

'How do you know of Sarayah?' he asked, squinting at her.

'Our paths crossed on her home planet of Medulsa some time ago now, but let's say she and Colonel Sheppard have a score to settle. If she has him, it really would be in your best interest to help us get him back before she crushes any chance of us ever trusting one another.'

That idea seemed to trouble him, but he swiftly covered his concern with more bravado. 'I assure you, Sarayah has nothing to do with your man's disappearance. She's based on one of our off-world research sites and has been there for some time.'

'Is that so?' she asked, quirking an eyebrow. 'Then maybe you can dial her up and make contact, because I'd really like to talk to her.'

He stared back at her, as if trying to think of a way to say no, then, to her great surprise, he agreed. 'Commander Thelbaar, run ahead to the communications officer and ask him to dial up that planet. We will follow along shortly.'

The commander left as instructed, and Elizabeth turned to Danteeras for an explanation. 'Why can't we go with him?'

'Because if you were party to the contact process, you would then have the planet's location. Sarayah is based at one of our secret bases. I can't give the address away to just anyone.'

'Or alternatively, his going on ahead gives him ample chance to brief Sarayah on what's happening, so she can hide her torture implements,' McKay mumbled.

The supreme commander threw him an odd look, but didn't acknowledge the statement.

'I'm sure you can understand our need to keep our secret research posts hidden,' he continued, only to be interrupted by another snort of derision from the scientist.

'A research facility? What's she researching; the best whip to flay skin with, or the optimum amount of GHB to use to render a man compliant when she's –'

'Rodney! Stop!' Elizabeth ordered, her face rigid with annoyance. 'Supreme Commander Danteeras has agreed to allow us speak to her. Let's try to keep this civil, shall we?'

'I am being civil,' he protested. 'If I wasn't I'd be saying a lot more about her, trust me.'

'I think you have the wrong impression of Sarayah,' Danteeras said to him, flashing him a harsh glare.

Elizabeth held her breath, hoping Rodney would follow her instructions.

In the end he kept it to an acceptable, 'Well, one of us certainly has.'

'Come, we will go and join Commander Thelbaar. They should have contacted the planet by now.'

Elizabeth followed on. 'Everyone on their best behaviour, please,' she warned, but she suspected that was asking too much of some of them.

oooOOOooo

Sarayah led her team back into the village, having left Parhaadon and a badly shaken Fuulden back near the perimeter trying to fix the truck by lamplight.

Two men carefully carried Sheppard into the cave, where Sarayah directed them to her bed and instructed them to leave him there in her care.

Teelac stood at her shoulder, Solvaat a little further back. Sarayah wanted them to leave, but knew it would seem odd to rush them away from their sick prisoner.

'Will he be all right?' she heard the young woman ask, showing more concern for their prisoner than Sarayah deemed appropriate. Teelac was attracted to Sheppard; she could see it in her body language and the secret looks she gave him she thought no one noticed. They couldn't afford to have anyone wavering in their duties for any reason. Sheppard had proved that tonight with his valiant escape bid; one moment of distraction had almost cost them a prisoner, though not in the way he had hoped. She needed Teelac and her other troops concentrating on their job; how many times did she have to warn them about Sheppard's ingenuity? Despite her annoyance, she bit back the acerbic response teetering on the tip of her tongue and held her peace.

Moving at last, she knelt beside the bed and examined Sheppard's throat. A thick welt had risen where the collar had dug into his flesh during the malfunction, and the scratches she'd inflicted while trying to free up space around his airway still oozed blood, though not too much now. Sheppard himself remained unconscious, but seemed comfortable enough.

It was fortunate Parhaadon had joined them in the chase or Sheppard would be dead now. She would be sure to reward him later...once he'd finished with the truck. Thankfully, ever prepared with a small toolkit, he'd had an implement able to push out the pin holding the hinges together and the collar had simple fallen away, leaving Sheppard free to breathe again. Whether they had been quick enough to prevent any permanent brain damage remained to be seen, but Parhaadon had been hopeful as he'd only just lost consciousness as he'd freed him. If he were permanently damaged...no, she wouldn't even consider that thought. He would be well again.

'Time will tell,' was her honest response to Teelac's question. 'Now get some rest. I'll keep an eye on this one and ensure his condition doesn't worsen.'

'Just shout if you want me to take over the watch, Commander,' Solvaat said, and she acknowledged his offer with a brief smile.

'I will. Now get some sleep so you're ready when I do.'

As they headed to their own beds, Sarayah pulled across the mobile screen that afforded her privacy in the confines of such an open space, then sat on the edge of the mattress where Sheppard lay unconscious and battered, the clammy sheen of his skin illuminated by the light of her lamp.

'Foolish man,' she said softly. 'Did you honestly think I would let you go so easily?'

Pulling Sheppard's T-shirt out from the pack beneath her bed where she'd hidden it after taking it from him at the waterhole, she tore it into pieces and tipped the water from her flask onto one, laying the damp fabric wad across his forehead to cool his hot skin. Though both annoyed and panicked that she'd almost lost him, she had to admire his spirit. Many would not have tried such a risky strategy, but Sheppard could turn almost anything into an advantage. If he'd known about the perimeter he could have made it back to the Ring of the Ancestors. Fuulden had the same device they all carried for deactivating it, so he'd had what he needed to fulfil his plan at his disposal. If just one of them had been careless enough to let him see how they did it when they'd passed through on the way to and from the Lantean ship, Sheppard would have been through the ring by now. No, they would have to keep a much closer eye on him from now on...much closer.

She trailed her fingers across the welt again causing him to stir, groaning softly though not waking. She pulled her hand back, the tips of her fingers sticky with blood from the scratches around the mark, the scratches she had made in his skin while desperately trying to save him. He didn't open his eyes, though he appeared to be less deeply unconscious now, resting in something resembling a deep slumber from which he would no doubt wake, soon enough.

Unable to resist, she sucked the stains from her fingers, savouring the taste of his "special blood". Her heart beat furiously against her breastbone as it dissolved on her tongue, and she leaned in to look at him more closely than she ever had. The years since she'd seen him last had taken a toll, but age suited him. If anything, he was more mesmerising now than she remembered him, and an aching need for him awoke with the proximity they now shared. She shivered as his soft breath heated her lips, and she yearned for him still more. He lay before her, completely at her mercy, and yet she could not act for fear the others would see.

But perhaps one stolen kiss...

Footsteps hurrying into the cave made her snap to attention, and she stood just before a voice called to her from the other side of the screen.

'Commander? Commander Thelbaar wishes to speak with you. Apparently it is most urgent.'

Sarayah gazed down at the temptingly vulnerable form lying on her bed and sighed. All she had wanted was a few more moments to enjoy his...compliance. No doubt he would be waking by the time she returned and the opportunity would be lost to her. Drinking in the scene before her for a few seconds longer, she pushed her way out through the screens, ordering Solvaat to take over until she returned.

He nodded wearily, having only just got into his bed, and headed over to her area, ensconcing himself behind the screens to keep watch over their ailing prisoner.


	14. Chapter 14

The picture quality wasn't brilliant, but Teyla squinted to bring the face before them into focus. Though much more neatly presented than the last time she'd seen her, she could see the woman now speaking with Danteeras was, indeed, Sarayah.

'Supreme Commander. This is a surprise. Is there a problem?' she asked, her voice more controlled than Teyla remembered it on Medulsa. Then, the woman had been screaming, spitting and clawing at the colonel like some wild animal, and she had felt compelled to intervene where the men had felt it for some reason...unchivalrous.

The communications room was even more poorly lit than Danteeras's office and far smaller, so much so that Lorne's men, and the marines who had accompanied Drs Weir and Beckett to the planet, were waiting outside in the corridor to relieve Rodney's claustrophobia. Not that Teyla was too worried by that. Danteeras had unexpectedly returned their weapons and radios as a sign of good will, in his words, so they were not unarmed in there among enemy troops. It felt cold despite the cramped conditions, though, and moistness hung in the air, along with a slightly musty smell...something like damp soil.

As she returned her full attention to the screen the communications officer made some adjustments and clarified the image, and it seemed it cleared for Sarayah, too. A moment of surprise registered in her eyes, then it was quickly replaced by annoyance as her gaze fell on Elizabeth.

'Dr Weir. I must confess you were the last person I expected to see there,' the Medulsan growled.

'Really?' Elizabeth asked, her tone laced with suspicion. 'Surely you knew we'd show up some time?'

'On Medulsa, perhaps. But not there,' the woman replied.

'So it never even occurred to you that we might come looking for Colonel Sheppard when you helped plot his abduction?' Elizabeth pressed.

Teyla had never known Elizabeth be quite so direct when questioning someone. Her normal stance was to give them a chance to open up before calling them on such an issue. Her brusqueness spoke to Teyla of the stress this situation was causing her, and told her their leader felt a burden of responsibility for the colonel's situation. She didn't mean to waste any time on the issue, that was clear.

'Colonel Sheppard?' Sarayah feigned confusion that only the most naive person would believe. 'Oh, do you mean the Major Sheppard I met back on Medulsa? Why would you think he was here?'

'Oh, I don't know...perhaps because_ you_ are...and you're working with a race of people intent on collecting the Ancient technologies you know he can activate.'

'I have no idea what you mean,' Sarayah said with a slight shake of the head, her eyes fixed on Elizabeth's with a fierce intensity.

'Oh, please!' Rodney growled from behind them. 'How many more times do we have to listen to that idiotic lie?'

'They know about the technologies we've been hunting out, Sarayah. They have sources,' Danteeras explained.

Sarayah's gaze had now drifted to just over Elizabeth's shoulder, and she stared fixedly at the scientist lurking there.

'Dr McKay. It's been a long time,' she said, smirking as she spoke.

Teyla watched Rodney shrink into himself under the strength of her stare.

'Not long enough,' he muttered.

Teyla reached out a hand and squeezed his arm in support.

'How goes your work, Sarayah?' the supreme commander asked, rocking onto his toes with a smug smile.

'Slowly, I'm afraid, Sir,' she explained. 'The item appears to be broken. It's a pity we don't have someone like Dr McKay on our team. We could use someone with his expertise right now.'

Teyla felt a shudder pass though Rodney arm's beneath her hand, and she squeezed it again to reassure him. All the same, she didn't like the way Sarayah now moved her eyes to Danteeras's, holding contact for longer than would be considered normal as if to emphasise the point about needing the scientists help.

'I see. That's a pity. Well, keep working, and I'll see what I can do about finding someone to help,' Danteeras told her, glancing around at McKay, then quickly averting his eyes.

He was about to end the transmission when Elizabeth interrupted him. 'I'm sorry, Supreme Commander, but I wonder if we might have a few more minutes talking with Sarayah. I'm not quite finished yet.'

'Of course. Be my guests,' he said, stepping back and gesturing for them to move forward.

Teyla let go of her grip on Rodney and stepped up beside Elizabeth, Ronon standing behind her. Rodney stayed where he was, glowering from behind the partial protection Elizabeth's slim form gave him.

'It's certainly a coincidence running into you just as Colonel Sheppard goes missing. And I suppose it's purely chance he was abducted from your former home world?'

Sarayah shrugged non-committally. 'I haven't had contact with my people for some time. I had no idea relations between Atlantis and Medulsa had been re-instigated, though I can't say I'm surprised.'

'No, she's too busy re-instigating Atlantis/Medulsa relations of her own to know what we're doing,' McKay mumbled.

Teyla shot him a warning frown, and he looked down at his shoes, embarrassed.

The accusation only widened Sarayah's smile. 'What a sordid little mind you have, Dr McKay.'

'Now, that's just plain insulting coming from you,' he sputtered, then reined himself in again.

'I'm sure you can understand our need to convince ourselves of your innocence,' Elizabeth continued. 'It does seem a little strange that he's gone missing just as you show up on our radar.'

'Or is it simply a case that you sought me out because of what has happened?' Sarayah asked, turning it back on them.

Teyla looked up at Elizabeth and caught her rueful smile. 'You might have a point. But since the men seen abducting him were wearing a uniform...much like yours...you'll understand our suspicions.'

'I understand you neither like nor trust me, and I suppose I gave you just cause for that. But I do not have your precious John Sheppard, nor do I care where he is. He managed to poison the minds of my own people against me; I have no desire to cross paths with him again, I assure you.'

'What? Why? Worried he'll tell your new friends what you're really like?' McKay sniped.

'Rodney! Be silent!' Teyla hissed

'Very well,' Elizabeth said wearily. 'Can I ask that you let us know if you do see or hear anything of him.'

'You can ask...' Sarayah said, not finishing her sentence, though her meaning was clear.

'Thank you for your time, Sarayah. We will let you get back to your work now,' Danteeras called from the back of the room, nodding his head at the communications officer, who was now looking his way for instruction.

The screen blanked, and the supreme commander gestured toward the door. Elizabeth led the way out to the corridor, and Teyla hung back, bringing up the rear.

Once outside in the dim and musty passageway, Danteeras addressed them all again. 'I trust that conversation has settled your minds. We really have no knowledge of the whereabouts of your Colonel Sheppard, but I wish you luck in locating him soon. The Pegasus Galaxy is a dangerous place, full of bandits looking to take advantage of the vulnerable.'

'Sheppard is not vulnerable,' Ronon growled. 'Whoever took him may find they've bitten off more than they can chew.'

The supreme commander's eyebrows raised a degree, then he grinned. 'If that is the case, you should not be so worried. It sounds as if he can take care of himself.'

'We'd just like to have him back where we can see him,' Elizabeth explained. 'He has an important role in our team; it's difficult to fill his shoes.'

Danteeras nodded. 'I understand. If we learn anything of his whereabouts we will contact you...perhaps you could give us some way of doing that.'

'No need. We'll contact you,' Elizabeth assured him, her smile tight and not reflected in the hardness of her eyes, Teyla now noticed.

'Very well. Wait here and I will send some of my troops to escort you back to your craft.'

'Wait!' Rodney called after him. 'What about the jumper we arrived in yesterday? When do we get that back?'

Danteeras shrugged. 'It isn't working. If you would like to remain behind and fix it...'

'That won't be necessary,' Elizabeth said, giving Rodney a firm stare when he tried to protest. 'We'll pick it up some other time.'

'As you wish.'

As Danteeras headed away, the others gathered under the pale yellow light of one of the phosphorescent lanterns hanging from the dark ceiling as if it afforded them some kind of magical protection.

'So...what does everyone think?' Elizabeth asked as soon as he was out of earshot.

'I think she has Sheppard,' Lorne said without missing a beat.

'Really? How can you be so sure?' she asked him.

'Because she had a chain around her neck identical to the one I have on my dog tags. I haven't noticed anyone else here with anything similar, and the Medulsans don't wear them, either.'

'Are you sure?'

'I saw it, too. Looked just like the ones, these guys are wearing,' Ronon concurred, thumbing toward Lorne and the other marines there.

Elizabeth ran her fingers across her forehead, then tucked her hair behind her ears. Teyla noted the movement, knowing it was just one of many subtle hints of the strain her friend was under. Elizabeth didn't enjoy conflict, though she had learned to face it in her time in Pegasus. She still sought diplomatic solutions to problems wherever possible, an approach Teyla admired her for, but there were times when that method simply didn't work. It appeared this was to be one of those times...and from her body language, Elizabeth knew it, too.

'Okay. Major, what would you suggest is our best course of action?' Weir asked, bowing to the major's strategic experience.

'I say we call him on it before we leave, give him a chance to be honest and hand the colonel over. After that...well...I guess that's up to you, ma'am, but I don't think they're going to change their minds if you ask nicely.'

She nodded, folding her arms over her thin body as she thought that through. 'If we threaten them with direct action, they'll probably close ranks even more tightly. But if I don't...'

'There's no incentive to tell you where he is,' Lorne finished for her.

'There is something else,' Teyla said, finally breaking her silence.

'What is it, Teyla?' Weir asked, her cracking voice betraying the tiredness now beginning to overwhelm her.

'I believe Sarayah gave the supreme commander a message as they spoke. I fear they may be about to attempt to take Rodney from us by force.'

Rodney's head snapped around in her direction, his blue eyes wide with shock. 'What? When did you hear them say that?'

'She did not say it directly, but her wish that you were there to help with the problem they have encountered, and the look she exchanged with Danteeras, lead me to believe she was requesting your presence there.'

'Oh, great! So now I'm going to be kidnapped and put under the charge of Madam Whiplash!'

'We're not gonna let that happen,' Lorne assured him. '...unless you want us to?'

'Oh, yes. Ha ha! More of that remarkable humour of yours! How do you marines ever get any work done for all the merriment?' Rodney snapped. 'I wonder if you'd be laughing if it was you she'd singled out.'

'Actually, I'd be very surprised if they didn't try to snatch me, too, especially since they're obviously looking for people who can interface with Ancient tech.'

McKay's face dropped. 'Huh! Good point.'

'All right. This is what I suggest we do,' Elizabeth interrupted. 'We wait until we get to the surface where we have the jumper and some backup I brought with us before we challenge them on the dog tags. Agreed?'

'Agreed,' Teyla said, along with the chorus of other voices.

They had made their decision just in time, because at that point they heard the sound of numerous boots marching toward them. Elizabeth, who had been about to speak with Major Lorne snapped her mouth shut at the sound and turned to wait for the returning Atrascans.

'Bloody hell!' Carson breathed. 'When he said he would send an escort, he wasn't joking!'

Twenty men marched toward them with Danteeras at the head. Teyla gripped her gun a little tighter, and heard Lorne and his men, and the team who had arrived with Elizabeth, lock and load in preparation.

'Is everyone ready?' Danteeras asked with a greasy smile.

He looked at Teyla now, and she felt a shudder run through her at the lascivious way his eyes took in her form. It wasn't often she felt uncharitable thoughts toward strangers, but for this man she was happy to make an exception.

'Yes. We're ready to go,' Elizabeth announced, dipping her head toward her accompanying marines, and walking in the direction he showed her. Danteeras strolled along beside her, making small talk Teyla couldn't hear. Elizabeth did an admirable job of looking calm and untroubled as the Atrascan troops closed in around them, keeping them in a tight group as they headed back to the surface.

They had to travel to the surface in two runs; Elizabeth and Sheppard's team along with Lorne and Carson, plus the Supreme Commander and a number of his troops going first, then the rest of them coming up several minutes later.

As they all walked toward the waiting jumper, Elizabeth spun around and addressed Danteeras. 'Before we leave, we'd appreciate it if you gave us the address of the planet Sarayah is currently on.'

He looked genuinely surprised, tugging down his ill-fitting jacket and trying to joke his way out of the request. 'I'm sorry, but you know I can't do that. Our secret research facility wouldn't be very secret if I did, would it?.'

'We know she's seen Sheppard,' Elizabeth said, without a hint of a smile.

Teyla sensed the tension building in the Atrascan troops. She clutched her P-90, her finger sliding onto the trigger in readiness.

'You've just spoken to her. She told you she knows nothing of his whereabouts –'

'And we might have bought that if she weren't wearing his dog tags,' Elizabeth explained. 'All of our military personnel wear them. We recognised the chain around her neck and couldn't help but notice no one else in your troops is wearing anything similar.'

Danteeras' smile slipped. 'You accuse us of lying based on...on an item of jewellery she could have picked up before joining us.'

'I'm not accusing _you_ of anything, Supreme Commander,' she assured him. 'I'm just telling you Sarayah is being less than honest. Now, it the interests of our future relations, and based on what you know of our access to Ancient technologies, it really would be wise to hand over the address.' Then, she leaned into him and dropped her voice. 'We promise to keep it a secret.'

He stared back at her, blinking in disbelief, then Teyla saw his face harden, darkening like a stormy sky. It seemed he wasn't as innocent as he'd wanted them to believe.

'I believe I will be keeping Dr McKay here with me on Atrasca, Dr Weir, along with your Major Lorne. The rest of you are free to leave, and I advise you to do so, because I really have no use for you, and I do not like people I have no use for.'

His troops raised their guns and aimed them at the Atlanteans, trying to force them into submission. Teyla saw Rodney raise his trembling hands, as he whispered, 'Oh, crap!' She covered his position as best she could, but there were so many Atrascans she knew she couldn't hold them all off.

As she focussed on the two closest to Rodney, she saw a sudden change come over them, over all of them she now realised. They lowered their guns to the ground and raised their hands now, backing away a few paces toward the exit they had just left by.

Relaxing her stance, Teyla peered back over her shoulder to see three jumpers hovering, weapons pods extended. Now she understood their sudden change of heart. It seemed one of the marines who had travelled with Elizabeth had managed to get a message to them to be in position and ready to de-cloak, perhaps when they were waiting for the second lift ride to bring their people to the surface and there had been fewer Atrascan troops around. However he had managed it, she was grateful Elizabeth had thought to bring back-up and one of her party had ensured their readiness.

'You didn't really think we trusted you to let us leave unchallenged, did you?' Elizabeth said, giving Danteeras a smug smile of her own. 'I believe we'll be taking Major Lorne and Dr McKay with us, now, but we'll be back in touch later to see if you've changed you mind about that address. You really should consider giving it to us, because if you don't, then you're of no use to us...and I don't like people who are of no use to us, either. Oh...and if you were thinking of shooting us down like you did Major Lorne's jumper, think again. My craft have a lock on the position of that weapon you used and can take it out with one shot the moment we detect it powering up. I don't think you want to leave your planet undefended, do you?'

Teyla watched Elizabeth raise her chin in defiance and victory, and found herself doing the same. At moments like these she was proud of their leader. Not a natural warrior, she certainly had the ability to talk a good fight.

'Into the jumper everyone,' Weir ordered, and they all backed up to the craft as the rear ramp lowered, then strode inside and raised it again.

'You think they'll give us that address?' Rodney asked, still visibly shaken by their narrow escape.

'I don't know. But at least we know he's on one of their outposts,' Elizabeth replied. 'With any luck, the Genii will come up with that list of possible locations they promised us soon and we can start checking them, with or without Atrascan help.'

Lorne set the Jumper in motion, raising it off the ground. 'Well, I, for one can't wait to get back to Atlantis and start making plans,' Lorne said, turning them round.

Teyla watched the Atrascan faces until they were out of sight, seeing the pure anger and hatred burning in Danteeras's eyes as he watched them leave. In her heart, she knew he would do nothing to help them. They had outsmarted and humiliated him in front of his troops; to give them information would be a further sign of weakness she doubted he could afford to display.

'I do not believe it would be wise to go directly back to Atlantis,' she called over to Elizabeth. 'The Atrascans may have people watching the Stargate and they could trace our address. Now they know we have examples of the Ancient technology they crave, I believe that will make us a viable target for their interests.'

'She's right. We can't risk them coming after us,' Ronon rumbled. 'With all the Ancient stuff they've been collecting, they might have found something that could get them through the 'gate shield.'

'Good point – both of you,' Elizabeth agreed. 'Rodney, can you come up with the address of an uninhabited planet we can 'gate to safely before going back to the city?'

'Uh, sure. We can go to M6J 886. Pleasant climate, great beaches –'

'That's nice, Rodney, but it's a detour, not a holiday,' Elizabeth quipped. 'Major Lorne, please advise the other teams of our intentions and let's get out of here.'

'Yea, Ma'am,' he said, giving her a lop-sided smile.

Teyla gazed out of the window, and even thought they were free she could not fully relax. Somewhere out there, Sarayah was holding the colonel prisoner. She doubted she would rest easy until she knew Sheppard was free from her clutches.

* * *

**A/N I know…I'm cruel making you wait another chapter to find out how Sheppard is, but you will find out tomorrow…I promise! Thanks again for all the comments!**


	15. Chapter 15

_Hurts, _Sheppard thought as he began to rouse, though he couldn't for the life of him figure out what exactly hurt, how much, and where. He couldn't even face opening his eyelids they throbbed so much. Everything ached and his memory was a maelstrom of confused images, a tornado whipping through his mind, sucking in and spitting out random images that just served to leave him confused and floundering. Darkness, a truck, a fight, escape...

Eventually, as his senses and recollections returned some kind of order to his thoughts, he realised the worst pain was in his throat, outside and in, particularly when he tried to swallow, although the rest of his body ached as if he'd spent way too long pressing weights in the gym with Ronon.

A cool, damp cloth dabbed against his forehead, and for a moment, forgetting where he was, he imagined he was in Atlantis' infirmary with some kind of fever, perhaps a throat infection, which would explain the pain and confusion. That was right up until he opened his eyes and saw the near black orbs staring back at him from the yellow pool of illumination the phosphorescent lamp beside Sarayah cast on the scene.

Suddenly alert, he tried to push back away from her, only to find himself cuffed to the frame of the camp style bed beneath him. Thankfully, his earlier dressings were still in place to protect him or he would have cut through his wrists as he jerked them so hard. Undeterred by his rejection of her, she leaned toward him with the cloth again, and when he tried to tell her to stay away, all that came out was a coarse croak that set him off hacking. The pain was excruciating, reminiscent of someone standing on his neck; he knew because that had happened to him before...a couple of times.

Her hand cupped the back of his head and lifted it, pressing a cup to his lips, and he realised she was trying to give him something to drink. Much as he wanted to spit it in her face, the overwhelming need to ease the dryness in his throat made him swallow instead. It didn't help much.

'Do you remember where you are?' she asked as she lowered his head back down again.

He frowned at her, then nodded, unwilling to aggravate his throat by speaking. What kind of a question was that? Of course he knew where he was. Did she think he was dumb or something?

'Do you remember who I am?'

_Like I could ever foget, _he thought, testing his bonds, but finding them more than adequate to hold him in place, especially considering his current state. He gave her another nod in answer to her question.

'Does it hurt too much to talk?'

A roll of his eyes sufficed to answer that. A short while ago she'd been throttling him with a control collar until he blacked out; was it really such a reach to work out his throat might still hurt? He swallowed, trying to dislodge what felt like a golf ball wedged in there, but to no avail.

'Those are quite some bruises you have there,' she purred, stretching her hand out to touch them.

He tried to pull away, but the restraints held him in place as her fingers made contact with his throat, brushing against the marks as well as the stubble now growing there, deliberately going against the direction his facial hair grew in to maximise the drag. It sent pain radiating up into his head and through the pit of his stomach, leaving him squirming under her touch.

'Stop,' he rasped, but his voice was so quiet even he could barely hear what he'd said.

Rather than honouring his request, she smirked and continued to stroke his skin, clearly revelling in his physical and emotional discomfort. 'We almost lost you to that collar, Sheppard. Parhaadon thinks the shock it took from the perimeter made it malfunction when we operated it. Good thing he was there to push out the hinges or you would be sleeping several feet beneath the dust right now, and I would be answering to Supreme Commander Danteeras right now.'

A flash of memory – her desperate attempts to loosen the collar – came back to him as she spoke and made him realise the pain he felt in his skin was as much from the scratches she'd inflicted in her frantic attempts to save him as the collar itself. Apparently, even though there was no love lost between them, she wanted him alive. Whether that was because of the trouble she would get into with this supreme commander if anything were to happen to him, or whether it was for other more nefarious reasons still remained to be seen. He knew which option his money was riding on, though.

'Actually, I've just spoken with him,' she continued. 'As it turns out, everything we put you through yesterday was a waste of time and effort on your part, Sheppard,' she said with a triumphant smile. 'Although that's not to say_ I_ didn't gain some satisfaction from it.'

He gave her his best puzzled look, hoping she would understand he wanted her to expand on what she'd said. There was no way he would talk unless it was entirely necessary. When he'd tried before it had felt like someone was squeezing his vocal chords in their fist and he had no desire to repeat the experience.

'It seems your friend, Dr McKay, was in the hands of my superiors all the time we were questioning you. If only we had known, we could have saved you a lot of trouble. I'm sure the supreme commander will be shipping him out here later today so he can fix that ship for us...at least, he'll fix it if he knows what's good for the two of you. If only the Atrascans back on the home world had managed to get word to us sooner, we could have spared you the discomfort Parhaadon and Solvaat put you through. Such a pity.'

Sheppard suspected she was lying to wind him up, so let the comment wash over him. He'd believe it when he saw McKay, cursing and scowling, with his own eyes. Of course, if that _did _happen, they were both totally screwed, to quote his friend...

Her hand slipped down his neck and toward his chest, unbuttoning the first few studs holding his shirt closed, then toying with the feeding scar that lay beneath the fabric. 'You've been through much since we last met. That changes a person – makes them stronger – I wonder if your friend has the strength of spirit to hold out against us as long as you have.'

Knowing he had no way of outmanoeuvring her caresses, he held steady and focussed on his anger rather than fear, setting his jaw and staring ahead without reacting to her. She was just touching him; it didn't matter. It was only a violation if he allowed her to get under his skin. There were other people just beyond the screens around them, so she wouldn't take it too far. Then, he inwardly laughed at his optimism. _As if a potential audience is gonna stop her..._

'I suppose there'll be no need to press you for information anymore,' she sighed, making lazy circles on his sternum with the tip of her index finger. He hadn't realised the damaged skin was still tender until now, when it began to twinge under the constant contact. 'Dr McKay will come here and fix the ship, the Atrascans will have their method to fight the Wraith. Then you and Dr McKay will return home to your friends, and everyone's happy. How nice...at least it would be if that's all the Atrascans wanted the ship for.'

Sheppard's eyes flashed to meet hers now. Despite his best attempts to ignore her, she'd lured him into interacting after all.

'I'll let you into a little secret,' she whispered, leaning in close so she could speak without being overheard. 'They're planning to collect as much Lantean technology as they can lay their greedy hands on so they can make themselves a power to reckon with in this galaxy. They plan to use it to suppress other races, force them into trade deals they can ill afford, leave them defenceless and suffering so that Atrasca, their home world, doesn't seem such an easy target because they hope adopting Lantean weaponry will keep the Wraith from their door. If McKay fixes that crashed vessel, and you help to activate it, you're helping an entirely new menace to rise and terrorise the indigenous peoples of the populated planets hereabouts. Doesn't that make you feel proud?'

He guessed she knew exactly how that knowledge would make him feel, but wondered what she hoped to gain from telling him. If that was the truth, he couldn't in all good conscience agree to activate the ship. Besides, there was no way these people were going to let him and McKay go free with so many more devices out there waiting for their magic touch. Which meant he would be stuck here with –

Before he could finish forming the thought, her mouth was on his, her tongue plunging in deeply as she caught his face in her hands to stop him turning away. His stomach lurched and his brain screamed out to get her off him, but his hands were unable to comply. So he did the only thing he could, biting down on her tongue until she squealed and ripped herself free.

The noise she made had obviously seemed louder to him while up-close-and-personal than it had actually been, because no one came running. She covered her mouth, hopping in pain, and he tasted the distinctive flavour of iron; he'd drawn blood. Spitting it out to rid himself of it, he still felt tainted to even have that much of her lingering on him. He hadn't meant to go so far, just to get her off him. No doubt she'd make him pay for that mistake now she'd shown her true colours.

Once she was over the initial shock, Sarayah turned her dark eyes on him and he saw...amusement. That couldn't be a good sign.

'Well, aren't we the feisty one?' she smirked, sucking her tongue to get rid of the blood still seeping into her mouth. 'I suppose that means you're feeling better.'

There was a table at the end of his bed, just a small campaign style folding number from what he could make out when he lifted his head to see what she was doing. Sarayah opened up a flask of some kind and poured out the contents into a bowl set beside it. The aroma reached him as she worked; it smelled like some kind of broth, and his stomach immediately began to gurgle at the anticipation of food.

She returned to her seat beside him, bowl and scoop in hand. 'I suppose we should feed you if we want to keep you alive. You have a lot of humans to betray before they've finished with you.'

It didn't take genius the equal of McKay's to work out she was playing with him. She apparently thought he would rather die of starvation than help the Atrascans to take over the galaxy. She wanted him to refuse the food out of some twisted perception she held of his sense of honour. That way she got to force it on him using whatever means she saw fit, but he wasn't that desperate to stop them yet. Elizabeth would have teams looking for him, so there was still a chance of rescue, or perhaps he would soon have the strength to get away from them if the opportunity arose again...if he could get past that damned perimeter. There had to be a way to shut it down because they must have passed through it to get to the crashed ship.

As she held a spoon of the broth out toward him, he accepted the offer, flinching as it burned inside his mouth, although it provided some slight relief as it warmed past the bruising in his throat, numbing the pain a little.

'Oh, too hot?' she asked, thoughtfully blowing on the next spoonful before ladling it into him. Although the idea of air that had been in her lungs cooling his meal turned his stomach, he allowed her to continue to feed him, pushing the thought her craziness might be contagious to the back of his mind where such nonsense belonged.

Eventually, the bowl was empty, and she returned to the table to refill it.

The effort of eating even that small amount had exhausted him, and he didn't fee inclined to take anymore from her. When she tried to give another spoonful, he turned his head away.

'You've had your fill already?' she asked, apparently surprised. 'I seem to remember you had a much healthier appetite than that the last time I watched you eat.' She lifted a spoonful of broth out of the bowl to her own mouth, wincing as it made contact with her injured tongue. 'You're right. This is hot...but it seems such a shame to waste it.'

He knew what was coming next – pain. He pre-empted it from the glint that suddenly flashed into her eyes. The next spoonful of steaming hot liquid found its way down the exposed skin of his lower arm, slowly, deliberately, until she dragged the noise out she wanted him to make.

Though it felt like he'd shredded his throat in the process, Sheppard's cry did at least bring him someone else's attention.

Solvaat's head appeared around the screens. 'Is everything all right in here?'

'Yes, we're fine,' Sarayah assured him, using the cloth she'd earlier cooled Sheppard's brow with to clean up the mess. 'I spilled broth on him when I was trying to feed him. I must be more tired than I realised.'

The soldier looked mildly doubtful as he eyed Sheppard's reddened arm; Sheppard supposed Gritty could tell from the way he was screaming at Sarayah with his eyes that more had gone down than she was telling him. He needed the man to stay before this got out of hand.

'If you need to rest, I could take over, Commander,' Solvaat offered.

She shook her head, rinsing out the cloth in a bowl of cold water and holding it against his burn. 'No need. I think he's taken his fill.'

'You should rest anyway. You've barely slept since he arrived here. You're not the only one capable of keeping him in check.'

Sheppard could see the anger Solvaat's words ignited in her as she gazed down on him, keeping her back to her minion. 'Last night proved just how slippery he can be. I prefer to keep an eye on this one myself.'

The colonel's throat cramped, sending a wave of pain through it. He wanted to tell Solvaat what she was like, what risks they were taking trusting her with him, but he didn't have the voice to speak, and wasn't sure he should. Right now, he wasn't certain which of Sarayah or the Atrascans were the lesser of two evils. Galaxy wise, he supposed she was, since she only wanted him.

At that point, another voice spoke to Solvaat from beyond the screen, and he stepped inside Sarayah's personal sleeping area to allow in a young man, flushed with the excitement of whatever news he was bursting to deliver.

'Commander. We've just received a message from Commander Thelbaar. There has been a change of plans. Apparently, Dr Weir and her personnel were able to evade capture on Atrasca. Dr McKay will not be arriving to assist us after all.'

That was the best news Sheppard could have hoped for. He'd thought Sarayah was just toying with him, pushing his buttons, when she'd told him they had McKay. Now he knew she'd been telling the truth, it gave him a surge of satisfaction to know his friend had slipped through their fingers. So much for their hopes of galaxy domination.

'How did this happen?' Solvaat breathed, looking troubled. 'We need that man. He's vital to our success. How could Danteeras have been so careless?'

The young man looked worried by Solvaat's disrespectful slur, and kept his answer to the facts. 'Commander Thelbaar reports that Dr Weir took reinforcements in cloaked vessels when meeting with the supreme commander. When our troops tried to stop them getting into their craft to return through the ring, they revealed themselves and threatened to display their firepower buy taking out our sonic defence system. Their craft carry quite an impressive arsenal, it seems.'

'He underestimated Dr Weir. The supreme commander would do well to look further than a woman's appearance when assessing her,' Sarayah sneered.

'So now we have reached an impasse again,' Solvaat sighed. 'We have a Lantean craft powerful enough to carry out Danteeras's work, a man capable of launching it, but no one able to get it airworthy.'

Sheppard couldn't help but smirk. This was a major hurdle for them...one they weren't going to get over without outside help, and they'd shot themselves in the foot if they wanted help from his people.

Sarayah saw his smile and her eyes hardened. His face fell. _That is not a good sign_.

'Don't worry yourself, Solvaat,' she purred, her own smile now broadening. 'Let's not view this as a set back...more an advancement not yet gained. We still have the means to learn Dr McKay's location right here in front of us. We simply have to continue as originally planned.'

The smile she finished that sentence with turned his blood to ice in his veins.

_Oh, crap!_

* * *

**A/N Sorry, but that's it for this week. Back on Monday with even more trouble for our boy throughout the week. Once again, thanks for the reviews and alerts, they're greatly appreciated! Hope everyone has a good weekend. :D**


	16. Chapter 16

Once they were safely back on Atlantis, Elizabeth asked everyone to head up to the conference room while she gathered any information transmitted in their absence.

By the time she got there, Teyla, always the thoughtful one, had arranged refreshments for them all, and Elizabeth was glad of the opportunity to take some more caffeine on board. Though she'd tried to sleep last night, she'd managed very little, so hadn't rested much in well over twenty- four hours now. Only willpower was keeping her going at this point. Looking around at the faces of the people gathered there, she suspected they all felt much the same.

'All right, people. As yet, Ladon hasn't been able to furnish us with a full list of possible Atrascan outposts. I have here a partial list he's transmitted to get us started, and that has thirteen addresses on it already, so this would seem to be a quite onerous task. If anyone has a suggestion about how we might be able to cut down the workload, I'll gladly listen.'

'How long before the Daedalus gets here?' Rodney asked, obviously thinking they could assist with the search.

'Three days travelling at maximum speed. Believe me, I've asked them if they can make it here any quicker, but Colonel Caldwell assures me he's already pushing the engines to their limits to get them here in that time.'

'Well it isn't good enough,' the scientist protested to no one in particular.

She knew he was just venting, but replied, 'If you can find some way to bend the laws of astrophysics to get them here quicker, I'm listening.'

'Every hour he's stuck in their research facility is another hour in the hands of that woman, who is doing...who knows what to him.'

His outburst reminded Elizabeth of the scene that had met her eyes back on Medulsa when Alishia had beat down the door to Sarayah's hut just in time to save him from her sordid plans.

The woman within had seemed more animal than human, and it had taken both Alishia and two other guards to tear her off the colonel. She'd ranted and spat, and used a number of words she had no knowledge of even with her linguistic skills, and neither did she want to learn them, all the time trying to fight her way back to Sheppard, lying prostrate and badly injured on her bed.

From his state of semi undress, the woman's intention had been immediately apparent. So, once she was clear of the building, Elizabeth had entered the hut to rearrange his clothing before anyone else could see.

Sheppard had thankfully been blissfully unaware of the chaos around him, and so she'd not made an issue of it, even when he had come to his senses. In all honesty, she hadn't known how to tackle the subject with someone like the colonel, who always kept his feelings pretty well hidden.

So, she'd focussed on the facts of the events as she knew them...especially the fact he'd disobeyed her order to leave the planet when he could. Even though things had worked out for the best for the Medulsans in the end, a fact she would never even try to deny having been told all the facts once they'd got back to Atlantis, he'd had no way of knowing what he was getting into when he'd made the decision to stay, and his reckless disregard for his own safety made her furious...not to mention the other personnel she'd had to put at risk in her attempts to extract him. He was her right hand man in a strange galaxy, a man somehow thought a little differently from the other military, whether it be because of his air force background or simply his tendency to disobey orders of he truly believed he could see a better way to handle things. No one else would fill the role of Military Commander quite the way he did, something that was always at the back of her mind whenever he was in trouble. Much as they might clash, they always found some kind of compromise in the end. He respected her in a way other military officers sometimes failed to do. And now he was in enemy hands because of her...

She ran her fingers across her forehead and pushed her long waves behind her ears to give herself a sense of order despite actually feeling things were slipping out of her control. 'I am aware of that, Rodney. So if anyone has any _helpful _suggestions, I'm all ears.'

'We should go back to Atrasca with all the jumpers we still have and threaten to blow bits off them until they tell us where he is,' Ronon growled. 'That should get them talking.'

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, wondering quite how to word her refusal without setting the big man off into one of his rages. Thankfully, Teyla stepped in to field that one.

'I do not believe Colonel Sheppard would wish us to risk beginning a full scale war with another race in our efforts to retrieve him.'

'But you'd do it for me, right?' Rodney asked, then he held up his hands. 'Just kidding.'

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth brought the discussion back on line. 'So, without any other options, do we agree we should proceed with checking the planets the Genii have highlighted for us?'

'Well, we might be able to narrow it down from clues in the conversation we had with Sarayah,' Lorne suggested.

She frowned. 'How so?'

'Well, she had what looked like a lot of dust on the lapels of her uniform. That suggests a dry environment, sand or certainly soil with a high sand content. That stuff gets into the weave and it's a bitch to get out...if you'll excuse the expression, Ma'am.'

'I'll excuse it,' she agreed.

'And it looked like they were in some kind of cave...that might help, too,' he added.

She nodded. 'We should start calling up what data we can on the addresses the Genii have given us and hopefully that should narrow it down.'

'I'm on it,' Rodney said, leaping up from his desk, snatching the tablet from her, and scooting from the room, mug of coffee still in his free hand.

'Okay, is there anything else the rest of us can do?' Weir asked, looking around them all.

'Perhaps we could ask Alishia if she knows of any planets with dry and possibly mountainous environments. I believe the Medulsans are travelling more themselves since the deliverance of their men folk from slavery. They may have encountered such places,' Teyla offered.

'Okay, everything's worth a try at this point,' Elizabeth sighed.

Chuck's voice chimed in over her earpiece. 'Dr Weir. We're receiving an off-world message. It's from Medulsa.'

Looking around, she saw several faces all reflecting her own sense of surprise. 'Okay. I'll be right there...and send someone to collect Alishia from her quarters. I'm sure she'll want to hear this.'

When they were all gathered in the control room, Elizabeth asked Chuck to open up a channel to Alishia's home world.

'Balfor, this is Elizabeth Weir. I understand you want to talk to us.'

'Err...I am not sure how to...is this working. Can you hear me?

Alishia, standing beside Elizabeth, broke into a broad smile. 'We hear you, Balfor. How are things on Medulsa?'

'Things are well, Alishia. It is good to hear your voice.'

'As it is to hear yours,' she told him.

'Is there something you need to tell us, Balfor?' Elizabeth asked. She felt a little guilty about interrupting their greetings, but they really didn't have time to waste on the niceties of reunions right now.

'Oh, yes. I think you may wish to know what happened this morning. A delegation from Atrasca came through the Ancestral Ring a short time ago, and asked us for Atlantis' location. I told them I did not have authority to give them the address, but that if they returned to share a meal with us at midrise, Alishia would be here to negotiate terms with them.'

Alishia looked at Elizabeth. 'What would you like me to do?'

'Balfor...we need a few moments to discuss this. Stay right where you are.'

'Of course, Dr Weir,' the old man's worried voice called back.

'Well, obviously we need to go back and defend them when those Atrascans return,' Elizabeth sighed. 'We got them into this, after all.'

'I'm happy to go kick some asses,' Ronon assured her, not that she was surprised. But something was puzzling her.

'I don't understand why they're going to Medulsa to ask for our address if they already have Sheppard. Why not ask him?'

Ronon's expression erupted into a scowl – a mixture of both anger and admiration now bubbling over in him. 'Probably have...but he wouldn't tell them anything...we all know that.'

Images of John's torture at Kolya's hand now popped unbidden into her head, and she almost retched. She had allowed that, and questioned her decision to keep Ladon safe at his expense on a daily basis. She couldn't let it happen again.

'Okay. I need ideas. What's our next move?'

'We could use this to our advantage...play them at their own game,' Lorne suggested.

Weir looked into Lorne's grey eyes and felt calmed by the confidence she saw there. 'How so?'

'We take a few dozen troops to Medulsa and wait for those Atrascans to return. Then _we_ ask _them_ some questions. I'm thinking they might be more likely to tell us what we want to know if they're outnumbered.'

_Not if they're anything like Sheppard,_ she thought, sighing with the realisation of what that act meant. But they had tried the right channels. She'd given the Atrascans a chance to co-operate, and much as she hated the idea of stooping to their level, she knew time was precious if Sheppard was in Sarayah's hands.

'All right. Take as many troops as you think you'll need to Medulsa and capture those Atrascans. Bring them back here for questioning...but no one gets hurt. Understood?' She directed that final instruction to Ronon in particular, knowing how carried away he could get when the safety of his friends was at stake.

A fierce grin split his face as he looked back at her. 'No promises.'

He bolted away with Lorne and Teyla in pursuit before she could ask him again. Elizabeth sighed, then opened up communications with Balfor again. 'Balfor, Alishia and several of my people will be joining you shortly. They'll explain what's happening when they get there. Thank you for letting us know about this.'

'You are most welcome, Dr Weir. Alishia, we look forward to your return. Travel safely.'

'I will see you in short time, Balfor,' Alishia assured him.

The 'gate shut down and Elizabeth rubbed her aching temples, feeling suddenly weary.

'You should rest, Dr Weir,' Alishia told her. 'It seems you have done all you can for now.'

'I should really stay alert for any potential problems...'

'You will be of much more use if you are rested. I believe you can leave this stage in the hands of Ronon and Major Lorne.'

'Major Lorne I trust...Ronon...let's just say he can get a little hotheaded.'

'Sometimes that is exactly what the situation calls for,' Alishia told her with a smile. 'If you wish to intimidate these people into talking, who better than a man like Ronon to free up their tongues?'

Realising Alishia made a good point, Elizabeth managed a faint smile. 'You're right. But I'd appreciate it if you make sure he doesn't go too far.'

'I think Teyla has that young man in hand. You can see he respects her.'

'True enough. I'll stay up to see you all on your way, then I'll get some rest until you return.'

Alishia squeezed her shoulder. 'A wise choice.'

Elizabeth smiled again, hoping her decision to kidnap the Atrascan delegation would turn out to be just as wise a choice.

oooOOOooo

With his body screeching so many protests he didn't know which one to try to ignore first, Sheppard's captors forced him up onto his feet and pushed, prodded and cajoled into a more central area of the cave. A chair sat waiting for him complete with ankle and wrist cuffs, and a strap that would wrap around his waist. Several lamps stood around, angled inward, shining their bile-tinted light in a sickly pool around it. The scene was too reminiscent of Kolya's warehouse for him not to react, but his momentary falter and resistance was easily quelled, barely even noted in fact.

As Solvaat pushed him into the seat, he heard voices, raised and somewhat alarmed entering the cave from outside.

Sarayah rolled her eyes, planting her hands on her hips as Parhaadon and two other officers approached her. 'What is it now?' she sighed, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

'Greekaf is missing,' Parhaadon explained, then his eyes flicked to Sheppard in the chair, now being secured in place by Solvaat. 'What's he doing in the chair? I got a message saying his scientist colleague was on his way. It's why I left finishing the truck to Fuulden.'

'We've run into a slight problem. Our supreme commander let him escape,' she sneered. 'Sheppard here is now our only hope of finding him. So, how long has Greekaf been unaccounted for?

'I sent him to gather some more of the removable components from the Lantean vessel yesterday before sunset, but no one's seen him since. In all the chaos we hadn't noticed he was missing until now.'

'Well, these two can go and look for him,' Sarayah ordered the soldiers accompanying him.

_You won't find him alive, _Sheppard thought. He had a pretty good idea what had happened to good old Greekaf, but they hadn't listened to him before, and they wouldn't listen now...not until they found him. For a little while there he'd forgotten about the potential Wraith threat, but it seemed there really was something to be scared about. So he now had a third option; stay here with the screwball and her acolytes, wait for his friends to come rescue him, or escape and possibly die at the feeding hand of a Wraith. He had a preference for the second option he'd listed, but his life was rarely that straightforward.

The two officers with Parhaadon followed Sarayah's instruction, grabbing supplies of fresh water and departing quickly.

'The idiot probably got lost in the dark on his way back,' Sarayah muttered, checking Sheppard's wrist restraints, while Solvaat fastened the strap around him and pulled it so tight from behind it threatened to cut him in half.

'I doubt that,' he huffed, tying the belt off. 'He was one of our best officers. Besides, we have radios; if he was lost he could call for help.'

Sheppard saw Sarayah's expression change, just momentarily, to one of fear. Then she said, 'Perhaps the winged beast that stalks us whenever we go beyond the perimeter got the better of him.' He knew that wasn't what she actually thought at all – that she had in fact reached the same conclusion he had – and wondered who she was trying to convince.

'Now that is an unfortunate possibility,' Solvaat conceded, coming to stand beside her. 'Should we begin?'

'Wait,' Parhaadon interrupted, stepping between them and the colonel. 'What are you going to do to him?'

'We still need to uncover the location of Atlantis,' Sarayah drawled, strolling behind Sheppard and laying her hands on his shoulders. 'Solvaat is going to help me gain that information from our friend here.'

'You're not planning to use the sonic pulse, I hope,' he asked. 'His body isn't recovered enough to take that yet. The truck may have shielded him from the first impact with the perimeter, but I'm certain he ran into it himself in his attempt to escape. If you push him now, it could be too much, no matter how strong you think he is.'

Unnervingly, Sheppard felt Sarayah's thumbs pressing into his shoulders in circular strokes, like she was giving him a massage. 'Hmmm, he does seem to have difficulty walking. Will that be from the sonic shock?'

'Almost definitely. It's just a good thing he's as fit as he is or he could have killed himself running into it like that.'

She didn't say anything, and Sheppard didn't try to look at her, just shrugged his shoulders in an attempt to free himself from her grip. She clearly wasn't ready to comply with that wish, and continued with the surreptitious kneading. 'Then we need to find some other way to question him, something he can tolerate in his vulnerable condition.'

He tensed at her use of the word. Hurt he might be, but he didn't want her even thinking of him in terms of _vulnerable_. He would fight these people till his heart gave out if he had to, especially now he knew their plans. He would not be party to some kind of galactic terrorism plot.

Parhaadon signalled to Sarayah, beckoning her to join him. Sheppard heard her blow out a sigh and trudge toward her colleague, who then guided her away to a distance where they couldn't be overheard. The colonel did his best to lip read, but Parhaadon had his back to him, so he was only getting half the conversation, and he had a fair idea the guy with all the ideas was doing the bigger proportion of the talking.

His eyes slid to Solvaat, who was standing, arms folded, and staring down at him, his expression giving nothing away. To his surprise the gravel voiced soldier suddenly broke into a crooked smile and cracked a joke with him. 'Wow, you must have done something really bad to get the devious duo on your case like this.' Sheppard frowned, not sure what he meant. 'Bad things happen when those two get their heads together. You might want to think of something you can say to placate them, because they won't give up until you do.'

The comment left Sheppard wondering about the man. He didn't seem completely in on the whole scheme, and it reminded him of times he'd been sent on missions he didn't whole-heartedly agree with. He'd been there in body because orders meant he had to be, but some of the things he'd been asked to do had left a bitter taste in his mouth. He suspected Solvaat was here on orders, but wasn't as committed to the cause as these two claimed to be.

'I'm not giving them anything,' he croaked, his hoarse words still barely audible. 'If I say even one word they think they can use, she'll beat the rest out of me.'

Solvaat's eyebrows twitched up a degree, but that was the only reaction he showed to Sheppard's accusation.

When he looked back to Sarayah, Parhaadon was heading off to his lab area and she was sauntering back his way. He wasn't at all sure he liked the way she was smiling now.

'Parhaadon has just gone to get a little something to make you feeling more comfortable, Lieutenant Colonel,' she said, her smile now more of a leer.

He squinted back at her and said, 'I don't want anything.'

Feigning difficulty hearing him, she leaned on the arms of the chair, bringing her face close to his. 'I'm sorry, Sheppard. I didn't quite catch that.'

'I said I don't want your damned drugs,' he grated out, sending himself into a coughing fit.

Sarayah stood back and enjoyed his obvious pain, while Solvaat took a more sympathetic approach, unscrewing the top from his water flask. Before he could get it to Sheppard's lips his commander stopped him. 'What are you doing?'

'He needs some water.'

'I'll decide if and when he can have water, Solvaat. Now put that away.'

Solvaat did as he was told, but as Sheppard brought his coughing and retching under control he couldn't miss the venom in the man's expression. Thankfully for the soldier, Sarayah seemed too distracted to notice.

Parhaadon headed back toward Sheppard carrying the biggest damned needle he'd ever seen. It looked more like a sidearm than the syringes the medical team back on Atlantis used; the only thing that told him it was medical was the huge great spike jutting out of the barrel. That was going to sting, no matter what was in it. 'Now, Sheppard. This is a little concoction I've come up with to help you feel better. It's not exactly going to kill the pain, but it will make you care a lot less about it.'

The liquid in the bottle he carried in his other hand had an almost luminous quality under the lamps, making Sheppard wonder what the hell it was made of. Nothing lethal, he assumed. They'd already told him they needed him alive.

He watched Parhaadon draw the solution into the syringe, then fire some out in a little fountain in the air in front of him. Sheppard caught the slightest hint of an acrid smell as it showered down on the floor a few inches from his boots. It didn't make him any happier about the thought of that stuff coursing through his system.

'Sarayah...could you do the honours, please?' Parhaadon asked, and without missing a beat she was behind the colonel, pulling the collar of his shirt away from his neck to expose the veins there.

Oh, they had to be kidding. They couldn't find a less painful spot to stab him in than his, poor, shredded throat?

He felt the needle penetrate his skin, sending a searing pain through his neck and making him jolt against his restraints. He gritted his teeth, his knuckles blanching as he gripped onto the arms of the chair…

**A/N More trouble ahead for Sheppard as you can tell. Thus starts a week of whump! Hope you all enjoy it. :D**


	17. Chapter 17

As Sheppard faced the Atrascans again, his team waited to meet his captors' colleagues on Medulsa.

Teyla brushed down the dress the Medulsans had loaned her to help her blend in with the villagers, commenting on how comfortable it was, and how it still allowed her to move freely should trouble arise once the Atrascans arrived.

Rodney, who had also been kitted out with traditional clothing, complained about the coarseness of the material, saying it chaffed his skin, which was delicate at the best of times. More than once, he ran his finger around the collar of his tunic to alleviate the rawness of his skin.

Ronon had been more difficult to cater for. None of the Medulsan males came anywhere near his stature, so he was forced to remain inside Alishia's house out of sight, along with a number of Lorne's marines.

Rodney watched Lorne, who was casually chatting to the villagers and looked completely comfortable in his Medulsan attire. He felt envious of the way the major made friends so easily, but also commanded authority when necessary, much like Sheppard did. He missed Sheppard's company on missions like this, but didn't want to appear too needy by clinging to the major instead.

As if sensing his anxiety, Teyla crossed over to where he sat and seated herself beside him. 'You look worried, Rodney. What is on your mind?'

'Besides Sheppard being in the hands of a known sadist?' he grumbled.

She gave him a sympathetic smile. 'We are all doing as much as we can to find him, Rodney. I'm sure the colonel knows we are searching for him.'

'That doesn't help him right now, though, does it?' he pointed out. 'That woman is...is...'

'Cruel...yes, Rodney. I am aware of that. But worrying is making no difference to that fact. We must stay focused on one thing at a time. Today, we must capture and question the Atrascans visiting the village. If we do that, we will be one step closer to finding John.'

He nodded, staring at his fingers which he had clasped between his knees. Cruel hadn't been the word he'd intended to use; psychotic, depraved, either of those seemed eminently more adequate than "cruel". And he had spent the past two years teasing him whenever the opportunity to mention his "Kirking" with her had arisen. Why had he done that? Probably because at some level he couldn't handle Sheppard's silence on the matter.

'I'm just not all that comfortable with ambushes, you know?' he replied. 'Gimme a computer and some scientific angle and I'm all over it, but this –'

'You did not have to come, Rodney –'

'Yes...yes I did. If the Atrascans are looking for me, then I'm pretty damned sure Sheppard is one of the main obstacles to them finding Atlantis' address. I owe him this.'

She covered his hands with hers and gave them a squeeze.

'Just do as much as you feel comfortable with, Rodney. Major Lorne, Ronon and I will take the lead on this; it is where our expertise lies. I am sure a time will come when we will require your knowledge, too.'

She left him there then, walking over to Lorne and calling him aside to finalise their arrangements. Rodney watched them talking, trying not to feel disappointed they weren't involving him in their strategic discussions. Not that he was worried about it for long. From the corner of his eye he saw someone walking toward him, and turned to spot Alishia on her way over.

'Oh, God!' he whimpered, but he sat still and forced on a smile despite his reservations.

'Dr McKay, you look anxious. I have brought you a drink to help settle your nerves.'

Rodney took the cup she offered and sniffed at the contents. It smelled pleasant enough, although he was worried he could detect a hint of citrus.

'It is a mixture of herbs and fruit that allows you to relax without impairing your ability to function. Just take a few sips.'

'I don't know...does it contain anything with citric acid in it, because I'm deathly allergic...'

Alishia looked puzzled, but encouraged him again to try it. 'I have never known anyone feel anything but benefits from the blend. I'm sure you will be no different.'

Though worried what might be in it, the offer of something to help him settle was too good to refuse. Besides, he had his Epipen with him if things should go wrong. He took just two sips, and handed it back to Alishia. The taste was pleasant on the back of his tongue, and warmed his mouth and throat as it slid down. Thankfully, he experienced no adverse reaction, and within only a few minutes, he felt a calmness descending over him.

'Good, yes?' she asked, smiling down on him.

'Oh, yeah. That's great,' he grinned back, all fear of Alishia having evaporated. 'I feel better than I have in years. Carson has to get the recipe for that stuff!'

'He is most welcome to it.' Her attention was suddenly drawn away from him to the tee line on the outskirts of the village. 'They are here,' she said, clapping her hand on his shoulder, then walking past him and on toward their guests.

Rodney checked on Teyla and Lorne's positions and saw them mingling in with the villagers gathered there, Teyla making herself look useful at the cooking fire, while Lorne took up a seat outside Alishia's house, carving a piece of wood while keeping his jacket pulled tight around the P-90 concealed beneath it.

The young man at the head of the three-strong team walked with the kind of swagger that spoke of extreme self-confidence. His dark blond locks were tied back in the usual tightly controlled binding, but out here, in the full daylight of Medulsa's blazing sun, his blue-lensed eyes took on an almost ethereal quality. Looking overdressed for the heat in his full black uniform plus gloves, and a hat complete with ear mufflers, Rodney couldn't help but think his attire was more apt for a typical day in Canada. His companions were identically dressed, although this younger one who led them had an emblem on his lapel that set him apart from the others. Perhaps it was a sign of superior rank. He certainly carried himself that way.

Alishia strode out to meet him before he could confront any of her people. 'Welcome back, travellers. Balfor told me I should expect guests for our midrise meal.'

Though clearly a little surprised by her size, the young officer held up his hand to silence her. 'I am not here to share a meal with you, woman. I wish for information I believe you possess.'

Alishia showed no sign of concern. Rodney had to admire her style. She just kept on smiling. 'Of course, I will give you any information I am able to.'

'Good. I want the address of the city known as Atlantis.'

Wow, this guy does not hang around! Rodney thought. He noticed Teyla standing now, wiping her hands on her skirts as if drying her palms of nervous perspiration. Rodney's own palms were as dry as a bone. 'Should've had some of Alishia's brew,' he thought.

Alishia stared back at the eager young soldier in front of her, her smile now slipping effortlessly into a frown. 'I'm afraid that is one thing I cannot tell you. Now, will you sit with us and at least take a drink before you leave?'

The officer pulled his gun from his holster and held in on her, aiming it a directly at her face. 'I am not averse to forcing the information from you, or any of your fellow villagers if necessary.'

Holding up her hands in a gesture of surrender, Alishia tried to placate him as Teyla and Lorne, along with a couple of Lorne's team, began to move surreptitiously through the gathered Medulsans. The villagers played their parts admirably, looking shocked and alarmed, and whispering in awed tones even though they knew Atlantis had sent more than enough troops to handle such a small group.

Rodney slipped his hand under the back of his tunic, feeling the handgun wedged in his coarse belt. For once, it felt comfortable in his grip as he allowed his fingers to wrap around the butt. He really had to get Carson to make more of that stuff Alishia had given him. This was the first time he'd ever felt comfortable about wielding a gun. No, not just comfortable; he actually felt confident about it.

Holding it behind his back, he also stood up and joined the group, slowly pushing his way forward until he was at the front of the people crowded in behind Alishia. Right there at the front. Oh, yeah. He could handle these people.

'Lower your weapon. There is no need for this aggression; it will gain you nothing,' Alishia assured him, standing firm in front of his implied threat.

'I don't think so. You start talking, or I start firing.'

Alishia clamped her mouth shut, and her people did an effective impression of cowering. Rodney couldn't help but think these guys could have a lucrative future as movie extras if they ever travelled to Earth.

His senses somehow more acute than normal, he noticed Lorne give a mark and instinctively knew it meant to draw his weapon. He did, aiming it just past Alishia at the man holding her at gunpoint.

The officer's jaw dropped in shock, and his gun arm wavered, then he levelled it at the Medulsan elder again.

'Go ahead, punk. Make my day,' Rodney growled, his lips pulled back in a ferocious snarl.

'Easy there, Harry,' Lorne quipped, unable to keep the grin from his face. 'I'm pretty sure these gentlemen know that would be a mistake.'

Rodney nodded frenetically, enjoying the surge of adrenalin because, for once, it rushed through him without the usual accompanying panic.

Lorne, Teyla, and the marines moved forward and took the weapons from the Atrascans without resistance.

'I take it you are from Atlantis,' the officer sneered. 'Cowards hiding out here among innocent villagers, and using them as shields.'

'Watch that mouth, pal. My men here get a little tetchy when people question their bravery,' Lorne warned him.

Without warning, the three of them were floored by a red energy pulse that squirmed across their chests and then died away, leaving the prostrate on the dusty ground.

'But apparently not as tetchy as him,' Rodney huffed, turning on Ronon. 'Elizabeth said not to hurt them, remember?'

'They'll be fine when they wake up,' he grunted, striding in and throwing the youngest and mouthiest of the trio over his shoulder. You guys can bring the others.'

Rodney watched him stride away, hearing Teyla offering her thanks to Alishia. Oddly, he felt an admiration of the Satedan's methods he'd never experienced before; simple and no fuss. If only he could get a gun like that.

Lorne added his thanks to Teyla's, then ordered four of his men to take the fallen Atrascans to the 'gate before heading back to the village. It seemed he thought the Atrascans would send someone to investigate sooner or later, and he wanted to be there to help defend them when they did.

Following Teyla, Rodney flipped Alishia a quick saluted and started out on the trek through to the 'gate. And again, for the first time, he didn't mind the idea of the walk ahead of them.

oooOOOooo

Sarayah caught Sheppard's hair and pulled his head to the side, pressing it against her body to hold it steady as Parhaadon worked. He could hear her heart racing with excitement; she was getting a kick out of this – why was he even surprised by that? The thought of her getting high on his pain made him feel even sicker than he already did, hard as that was for him to imagine.

Parhaadon released the syringe's payload into him slowly, and he felt the cold fluid following the artery and working its way into his body. That was right about the point his brain started to liquefy...at least that was how it felt. Try as he might, he couldn't pull anything into focus any more. Whatever they'd given him, it was sure as hell on a par with the good stuff Beckett saved for his worst beatings.

Along with his vision, his hearing phased out, everything around him sounding muffled and distorted as if he were submerged in water. His breathing felt like that, too, as if his lungs had filled up with water and there was no room for oxygen. He closed his eyes, trying to shut out the weird sensations currently pulling him under.

Sheppard's body began shaking, not just a shudder, but violent tremors that caused him to convulse against his restraints, not that they left him much scope for movement. His body felt icy cold, as if he were in freezing waters and trying to surface. Then, as suddenly as the tremors started, they petered out, heat returned to his extremities and the thickness of sounds lifted a little. Peeling his lids open, he could make out the faces of the hostiles who had tied him up there, but it was like trying to see through dirty shades; everything was off-colour and blurred.

'Sheppard. Sheppard, can you hear us?' a male voice asked, but he wasn't sure which of the two of them it was now. It sounded like whoever it was was shouting down a drainpipe.

'Yeah, I hear yah,' he answered, his mouth struggling to form the words.

'We need you to help us with a problem we have, Sheppard,' one of the men said...maybe Gritty...maybe not.

'Wus that?' he slurred, his head sagging toward his chest.

A hand slipped under his chin and lifted it so he was looking at the person addressing him. Now they were up close, he could see it was Parhaadon, after all. 'We want to send you home, Lieutenant Colonel. We've fixed the ship, it's up and functioning, and now we need Atlantis' address to send you on your way. Can you remember it?'

Sheppard snickered, not even sure why he was laughing. 'Sure as hell don' remember firin' up any ships.'

'Of course you do,' Parhaadon coaxed. 'I gave you something for your pain so you could walk – you remember the ravine, don't you? That rickety bridge you felt certain wouldn't hold your weight?'

The bridge did sound familiar. Images rippled through his memory, the sight of the gaping ravine, the bridge, narrow but strong, and a huge flying animal that buzzed him and the rest of the party. Yes, he remembered it now.

'You activated an ancient message from the captain of the Lantean vessel...'

A soft woman's voice, a pretty sound that conjured up a worried face wavered in his mind's eye and was lost again. 'S'right.'

'You realised the Lanteans were still in their stasis pods...we gained vital information via them on how to fix the ship...'

Cold blue light filled his head. Faces, a man with friendly, blue eyes, a beautiful girl with golden waves. But her face morphed and transformed before him. That wasn't now...that had happened almost a year ago...hadn't it? He swallowed hard, felt a pain somewhere in the distance. 'I don't...don't...'

'You must remember...you were a great help to us. You showed us how to work the pods to communicate with the Lanteans without killing them. We want to repay you by sending you back to your people. All we need is Atlantis' address and you're a free man.'

That blue light invaded his head again...no...that wasn't right. The captain then had been a man...this time it was a woman...Why couldn't he remember making the ship work? He'd been there...it was dark and eerie...no life...no life...

The image of dozens of pods, some smashed open, others sealed around their decomposing occupants flashed into his mind. Lies...they were lying to him. There had been no interface with the Lanteans because they were all dead at the hands of the Wraith.

'There's a Wraith here,' he yelled, and the pain registered somewhere off in the distance as he began to cough and heave. So hot...why did he feel so hot now?

'The address, Sheppard. Give us the address.'

Sarayah's voice cut through his moment of panic and hacking and brought his world into sharp focus again...just for a moment. 'My name is John Sheppard, Lieutenant Colone –'

Her slap stopped him short and left his brain reeling. New images strobed his mind; fleeing through the woods on Medulsa, trying to get to the Wraith defence device before the hive ship came, the floor coming up to meet him in a rush, claws scraping at his shredded back.

'I have to get the machine working...' he slurred, closing his eyes as the room tilted around him. 'Why are you doing this?'

Sarayah's voice registered with his drifting mind as she said, 'This isn't working, Parhaadon.'

'It will. That was a relatively low dose – only six guulas – I can give him another two safely, then we should administer in single guula increments. He may not need much more than that due to his current weakened physical state.'

'Very well. Let's give him some more.'

Though he was still conscious of what was coming, he was powerless to stop it. Sarayah caught hold of his head, tugging it to the side by his hair again as Parhaadon loaded the syringe. All Sheppard could see was that yellow crap coming toward him. He knew now it was no painkiller; the effects were similar to the draught Sarayah had forced on him on Medulsa. It was throwing off his thinking, reducing his inhibitions, making him more open to suggestion – he'd almost bought the whole getting the ship operational thing.

He groaned as the needle pierced his skin, more because he knew what that stuff would do to him than because it hurt. He couldn't feel the pain...at least not directly. Some tiny little part of him locked behind several bulkhead doors in his mind could feel his pain and frustration and was begging him to fight, but his screams were almost inaudible.

The cave began to undulate around him, spinning away and surrounding him with an enveloping darkness. It felt like his eyes were glued shut, and he strained to open them, catching only glimpses of faces around him. Again he felt himself trembling violently, the restraints preventing him from moving far. This time he could feel someone holding his head, their hands as hot as pokers as the ice took over his body, stealing his senses and his breath. He could feel himself sinking...sinking...the floor melting away and pitching him into a dark abyss.

'Sheppard! Sheppard! That thing is still alive and we don't have any bullets left...we gotta go now!'

McKay. The voice was weird, filtered and twisted like a bad memory, but it was him all right. He tried to see, but the glue on his eyes would only stretch for so long, giving him snatches of the scientist's face.

'That thing is going to suck the life out of us if we don't get the 'gate dialled. Get us back to Atlantis!'

'I...I can't see, Rodney. You'll have to help me.'

Someone grabbed his hand and tugged him. His hand? Did he have to?

'Rodney, I said I needed help, not a hand to hold.'

'Just drop the machismo, Sheppard. You need help, I'm helping. Now, dial up the DHD.'

Sheppard stumbled against something hip height, running his fingers over the surface. It was the DHD, but he couldn't see it or his IDC transmitter well enough to do anything with them.

'I can't do it, Rodney!'

'What?'

'I told you...I can't see...You'll have to do it.'

'What, while you keep an eye out for that Wraith?' Rodney sneered.

'McKay!'

'All right, all right. Give me the address and your code and I'll dial it up.'

Sheppard was about to give him the symbols when it occurred to him Rodney should know them. 'Why are you asking me? You know more 'gate addresses than I've had hot meals since we got to Atlantis.'

'Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm panicking and can't remember. Now just give me the symbols already.'

'No.'

'No? Are you crazy? Give me the damn symbols before that thing kills us both.'

'No...no...you wouldn't ask for them...you wouldn't need to...this isn't right.'

'No...we're about to get the life sucked out of us. Now that's not right.'

'I won't let them get you, Rodney.'

'Them...them who? Are you saying there's more than one of them?'

'Yeah...' his eyes opened a little longer, and he caught a flash of the frosted glass faces. 'Yeah...there's more of them.' He fought against the glue on his lids, opening them wide and seeing now where he really was.

'The symbols, Sheppard. Now!' Rodney's shrill voice ordered inside his head.

'My name is John...Shep...Sheppard...Lieutenant Colonel in the United...United States Air Force, 163–'

Ice rushed through his body again, and what tenuous hold on reality he had began to slip from his clutches. Sinking. He was sinking again. Sinking into tar that clung and pulled and sucked him down into the bowls of a blackness so deep he felt no hope of ever rising again. Air...he needed air, but he couldn't feel his body anymore – no sound, no feeling, no air to breathe. He sank with the sensation...stopped struggling...let it take him down.

He hit bottom and waited for whatever the hell he could feel lurking in those shadows to take him. He had nothing left to fight with...couldn't even feel his body anymore. Where was he? What had happened to him? Suddenly, whirlpools of light flashed around him, colours dancing and spinning in a nauseous waltz of illumination.

'John!'

He knew that voice. A woman's voice...plaintive...afraid. He needed to protect her. But...where was she?

'John!'

He turned his head...was it his head? He wasn't certain anymore. Beyond the lights he saw something. It wasn't clear at first, and his tired eyes could barely bring it into focus. As the light began to calm and dissipate, he could see it was a door.

As if wading through molasses, Sheppard began moving toward it, struggling against the spirit-sapping lethargy trying to hold him back.

When he reached it, the damned thing was locked; he tried forcing it, but couldn't turn the handle...it continually slipped in his weak hands.

'John...help me!'

It couldn't be her...but he could hear her voice clearly through the door, there could be no mistaking it; he'd spent enough years with her.

He forced his shoulder to the door, unable to even feel the contact. It rattled in the frame, giving him some hope he could break it open. Unable to feel pain, he thudded against the door again and again, only a distant, unreachable sensation of discomfort registered...almost as if it belonged to someone else.

Eventually, the door gave way under his persistent attack and he burst into the room beyond, finding a wall of thick steel bars and a Stargate standing on the other side of them.

'What the...?' he breathed, wandering forward and taking hold of the bars.

'John...thank God!'

He'd been so distracted by the sight of the 'gate he hadn't seen anyone in there. Now, as delicate fingers wrapped around his, he looked down into the soft, brown eyes of a face he had never imagined to find out here in Pegasus.

'Nancy?'


	18. Chapter 18

Feeling like she'd only just fallen asleep, Elizabeth was surprised to be woken up by one of the control room technicians hailing her via her earpiece so soon. However, when she checked her watch, over three hours had passed since she'd seen Lorne and the others on their way to Medulsa, plenty of time for them to carry out their mission. Dragging herself up from her comfortable bed, she hurried to the control room. 'What's happening?'

'We received a message from Dr McKay. He said it was urgent that he speak with you.'

'Okay, put me through.' The technician nodded to signal it was done. 'Rodney? Do you have some news for me?'

'I do. The Atrascans were rather more helpful than we'd been expecting. They gave us the location of the research facility Sheppard had been taken to. So, we decided to waste no time and headed straight there.'

'Without letting me know first? That was reckless, Rodney. What if something had happened to you?'

'What...you mean like what happened with Sheppard when you sent_ him_ to Medulsa?'

His words stung, but Elizabeth allowed it to slide since his poor attitude wasn't her priority. 'Did you find Colonel Sheppard?'

'Yes...but we need you to come through...and bring Carson.'

Elizabeth's heart leapt into her throat. If Rodney was asking for Carson, things were obviously bad. 'All right, Rodney. Send us the co-ordinates and I'll be through as soon as Carson gets his gear together.'

Ten minutes later, and with Carson now carrying what he deemed to be an appropriate level of medical kit for such an apparently urgent situation, they found themselves in the gate room as the Stargate locked on to the address Rodney had sent to them. Elizabeth cursed herself for not asking more questions to prepare them both for what they might find; that wasn't like her, but the fear of what her ill thought-out actions might have brought Sheppard to had left her thinking far less clearly than normal.

She and the doctor stepped through to the address Chuck had dialled and exited into almost complete darkness. The ground felt sandy underfoot, well, more like sand on top of stone as she took a couple of steps before stopping. The 'gate appeared to be inside a building of some kind, perhaps a building on a desert world, which would explain the sand Lorne had identified on Sarayah's clothing, and which was now crunching under her boots.

A single orb of light hovered off to one side, and once her eyes had adjusted to the dimness, she could see it was Rodney carrying a torch. They headed toward him.

'Couldn't yeh find any lights?' Carson asked, almost falling down the couple of steps leading up to the dais the 'gate rested on.

'No...I don't think the Atrascans are big on illumination. Must come from all those years underground,' Rodney muttered. 'Follow me.'

Carson managed to wrestle a torch out of his own pack and they quickly followed Rodney down several disturbingly dark corridors until they emerged into a larger room. Rodney's torch found the faces of Lorne, Teyla and Ronon, who were standing a few feet inside the chamber, each of them looking worryingly sombre.

'He's in here,' Rodney explained. 'But I warn you...it's not a pretty sight.'

He shuffled past the trio and shone his torch to their left, illuminating a level of technology she hadn't expected to find inside what seemed to be an aged structure.

The entire wall of the room was some kind of vast monstrosity of a machine, hissed and crunching mechanically while antiquated computer screens flickered various readings in a language she was completely unfamiliar with. Steam or perhaps smoke erupted from various ports, and foul-looking liquids bubbled and flowed along various pipes from glass cylinders built into the guts of the contraption.

The sight of the machine would have been troubling enough, but then, there at its centre, she could just make out Sheppard, almost entirely covered with tubes and circuitry, what little flesh was visible greying and unhealthily veined. Her stomach lurched, threatening to reject its contents in an instant.

'No!' she breathed, covering her mouth. 'Can we get him out?'

'We're not sure...that's why we needed Carson here. We can't tell whether Sheppard is working this thing, or if the relationship is more symbiotic. It could be that of we try to remove any of this stuff he...well...you understand.'

Swallowing hard, she nodded, understanding what he meant only too well.

Carson headed forward, dropping his medical pack from his back onto the floor in front of the beleaguered colonel. 'My God! What have they done to him?'

'Looks like they've got this thing connected up to his brain somehow,' Rodney explained. 'Most of these monitors are showing his vitals; this one,' he said, tapping a screen with his index finger, 'shows brain activity.'

The screen was alive with activity. At least he wasn't dead.

'We assume he refused to help them with their experiments voluntarily and this was their solution. As you can see, they've left one hand free, so he can be used to activate Lantean tech. Presumably, they can type an instruction directly into his brain and he does what they ask, whether he wants to or not.'

'Have...have you tried to communicate with him?' Elizabeth asked, her eyes glued to the terrifying sight in front of her.

'Well, he can't actually hear us, but I've managed to interface my tablet with their tech so I can try to communicate via the machine. The things is, we have no way of knowing how he will react to us, which is why I wanted to ask both you and Carson what you thought before I did anything else.'

Carson looked over his shoulder at him, completely bewildered. 'I've never seen anything like this before. I have no idea what that would do to him, but it's hard to imagine things getting any worse than they already are. We have to try something.'

Elizabeth tried to swallow as all eyes turned to her for instruction, but her throat had completely dried out. Her decision could result in his death...but they couldn't simply leave him like this. Sheppard would prefer death to this...this non-life. 'Do it,' she ordered, her voice weak, but her words firm.

Rodney gave a single nod, then keyed a message into the machine via his tablet. At first, they saw no reaction in Sheppard, but then, when Rodney repeated the process, there was a marked change on the screen monitoring his synaptic responses.

'What did yeh say to him?' Carson asked, looking worried as he checked the other monitors, which were now also registering substantial fluctuations. The machine was coming alive, panels lighting up all over its surface – gears shifting, cogs grinding against one another.

'I told him we were here,' Rodney replied, with a shrug. 'What else could I say?'

Elizabeth walked forward and came to a stop just behind Carson, who was now examining all the various protrusions attaching the colonel to the machine. 'Can we get those things out of him?'

'I'm not sure yet. We may do irreparable damage if we rush this.'

She nodded her acknowledgement and let him work, staring at the ashen face emerging from the apparatus in front of her. Though the monitors were showing massive reactions, Sheppard himself remained completely inert. It was hard to imagine how he had survived the process of assimilation into the device, let alone how he was continuing to live – unless Rodney was right and the machine itself was supporting him.

As she gazed sadly at his slack features, Sheppard's head suddenly snapped up, eyes open. For a moment, he stared straight at her, eyes pleading for help, then the most hideous, gut-churning scream tore from his lungs, splitting the silence and sending her stumbling back away from him...

...Elizabeth's eyes opened now, too, revealing the fact she was still in her quarters, not away from Atlantis in that dark and foreboding facility. It had been a nightmare, a very realistic and terrifying nightmare, and for the first time since Sheppard's kidnapping she was glad there was no news. Glancing at her watch, she saw only ten minutes had passed since she'd last checked it. She'd barely had time to close her eyes, yet it felt like far longer had passed. This was torture. They had to find him soon or she would lose her mind.

Sitting up and rubbing her face to ensure she was fully awake, she felt her raging heart settle back into a more regular rhythm. Wracked with guilt, she hoped when they did find Sheppard, as she was determined they would, things would not be as bad as her subconscious evidently feared.

Deciding more sleep was the last thing she needed right now, she headed out toward the mess hall for another burst of caffeine. Hopefully it would keep further nightmares at bay while she waited for Lorne and the others to return.

oooOOOooo

Confused by Sheppard's reaction, Sarayah took a step back from their prisoner. 'What did he say?' she asked, giving the colonel an odd look.

'Nancy, I believe.' Parhaadon moved in to examine Sheppard, forcing his head back and opening his eyelids to test his pupil reactions. 'He appears to have fully succumbed to the effects of the Joopei now. His will should be quite malleable.'

'But what is _Nancy_?' Sarayah asked. 'We can't construct a situation if we do not know the details of what he's seeing?'

'I can coax it out of him,' Parhaadon assured him, squatting down in front of the colonel's chair. 'What is_ Nancy_, Sheppard? Can you tell us? Can it help you get back to Atlantis?'

Sarayah watched as Sheppard lifted his head from his chest. It lolled back, exposing the damaged flesh from his brush with death. 'My...my wife...'

She frowned. Wife wasn't a word she was familiar with. 'What does that mean?'

Parhaadon shook his head, equally baffled. 'I'm not certain, but it seems important to him. Do you need to get the Nancy out...through the 'gate perhaps?' he pushed, clearly having no idea what he was saying.

In response to that, Sheppard's forehead puckered up into a frown. 'Shouldn't be here...should be on Earth...'

'Earth...what is _Earth_?'

'Home...'

Parhaadon straightened up, folding his arms over his chest. 'So, this Nancy is something from his home...but I thought you said he was from Atlantis.'

Sarayah nodded. 'That was my understanding. But it was rumoured Atlantis was abandoned for thousands of years...perhaps Earth is where his people originally came from...' a thought struck her. 'What if this Nancy isn't a something, but a someone? A life partner, perhaps.'

Parhaadon nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. 'That is a possibility. He seems driven by a need to protect people – it would make sense that he would conjure someone like that when his mind senses danger.'

A pang of jealousy ate at Sarayah's gut. Sheppard hadn't mentioned a life partner the last time they'd met, though she supposed it had been naive of her to assume a man such as him wouldn't have found someone willing to devote their life to him...several someones, in fact.

A sheen of perspiration now covered Sheppard's face, down his throat, and even across the exposed flesh those opened buttons on his shirt revealed. He was feverish...susceptible...barely conscious, but just hanging on. There was an opportunity waiting to be seized here, but in taking it she might reveal more of her own desires than she wanted the others to be aware of. Of course, if she got the 'gate address from him, she was sure the Atrascans would overlook it...

She leaned forward over him, her hands resting on his where they remained strapped in place. 'I need your help, Sh...John.'

It felt odd to use his forename, but also strangely comfortable as it tripped off her tongue. She liked the sound of it. It was a name she could get used to saying.

'How...d'you get here?''

He was responding to her...he thought she was Nancy. This was too good to be true. She softened her voice to ensure he didn't recognise it. 'I...I...' Floundering, she looked to Parhaadon for help in concocting a plausible tale.

'Tell him you came to Atlantis when you heard he was missing, but you were captured.'

Sarayah nodded, repeating the tale to Sheppard, hoping he would hear her through his drug-induced daze.

'But...how did they know about you? And why w...would you come?' he asked, his head dropping forward again so she was forced to pull back a little to avoid getting butted.

'Because I...' she paused, glancing at Parhaadon before saying the next three words. 'I love you.'

To her surprise, he huffed out a laugh, lifting his head halfway so his face was level with hers even if he couldn't keep his eyes open.

'S'that right? Not sure _Greg _would be happy to hear you say that_.'_

'Greg?'

'Yeah...you remember, your _new_ man.'

The jealousy in his tone when he said those words touched her in an unexpected way. This woman, whoever she was, had hurt him – hurt him in a way she never could. She'd broken his heart. That, in turn, made her own jealousy seethe, demanding to be born.

'Greg was a mistake, John. Surely the fact I'm here, now, proves that to you.'

'That's good, Sarayah. Keep going,' Parhaadon whispered. 'You can still win his confidence.'

'S'rayah?' Sheppard's face crumpled in repulsion at the sound of her name and he pulled against his bonds. Anger fired up within her. Even this "Nancy", who had clearly hurt him deeply, didn't provoke that reaction.

She stood up and called Solvaat and Parhaadon away from him. 'I think we may be onto something here, but you two need to give us some space to work through it,' she told them.

Parhaadon was immediately resistant to the idea. 'There is no need for you to do this alone –'

'Yes, there is,' she hissed. 'Every time he is convinced by the delusion, your voice pulls him out of it again. Stand back and give us some room,' she ordered, slipping her knife from its place on her utility belt.

'What are you going to do with that, Commander?' Solvaat asked.

She laughed, unable to suppress a grin. 'Not what you think. I merely wish to remove his restraints.'

'What? That's insanity, Sarayah,' Parhaadon protested. 'You want us to stand back and let you free him from the restraints? He doesn't have the collar anymore. What if he attacks you?'

'I still have my gun.'

'And no ear defenders,' Solvaat pointed out. 'Should I get your hat?'

'No...no need,' she told him, looking over her shoulder to where the feverish colonel sat, chin lolling on his chest. 'It will do me no real harm...and I doubt very much I will need to use it.'

'You told us yourself the man is resourceful.'

'Not that resourceful, Parhaadon,' she snapped. 'Now do as I say!'

She stalked away from them, carefully cutting loose Sheppard's ankles first, then his body, then his wrists. He made no attempt to move, remaining in that slightly reclined position, eyes closed, his shirt now saturated with sweat. If that had been anyone else she would have found them disgusting...but in Sheppard, it merely added to his allure.

The chair was wide enough for her to perch beside him, where she could speak clearly to him, and know he could hear her.

'John...are you angry with me?' she asked, reaching for his burning hot fingers and taking them in hers.

His head lolled back again, rolling away from her to his right shoulder. His chest heaved with the effort of breathing as he responded. 'Why...would I b...be angry?'

'Well, look at the mess I'm in,' Sarayah said, 'trapped here.' She was only guessing what Sheppard could see in his mind, but Parhaadon had said they could influence his hallucinations once they had enough clues, just as they had the one with Dr McKay.

'I'll find a way through the bars...might be able to try C4 if you can back it up enough. The 'gate sh...should be able to offer you cover i...if you get behind it. Tho...Those things can withstand a nuke...Why's it so damned hot in here?'

She had no idea what C4 or nukes were...and had no real interest, either. Unable to resist touching him, she swept her hand across his forehead, wiping away beads of sweat. 'You look sick...are you sure you can do that?'

He caught her hand and held her cool palm against his burning forehead. 'That feels so good,' he croaked, letting his head fall back. She could see the pulse raging in his throat, beating with his efforts to fight them even now. She wanted to touch it, feeling racing against her fingertips, to feel his vitality, his strength...but the situation was precariously balanced and could go either way if she wasn't careful. Deciding it was in their interests to pursue this further she stood, her legs straddling his as she placed her hands on his superheated cheeks. He groaned his appreciation.

Her heart now thumping against her ribs, she could barely keep her thinking clear enough to continue the ruse. What had they been talking about? Oh, yes. He wanted to get through the bars, which meant he thought this Nancy was in some kind of cage with the Ancestral Ring. She didn't need him imagining that. If she could dissuade him, perhaps make him believe he didn't possess the necessary equipment for the job, she could get him to give her the coordinates for Atlantis...eventually.

'Do you even have the C4...I don't see any on you,' she ventured. Sheppard's hands moved, searching his body haphazardly. 'I...I can't find it...I always have some with me!'

'Perhaps you lost it,' she offered, stroking his puckered brow free from sweat again. 'It's all right, John. We can still find a way out.'

'Did...did you mean what you said?' he suddenly asked, throwing her concentration as his eyes opened and looked straight at her. 'Was Greg a mistake?'

She nodded, barely able to speak under the intensity of his stare. There were emotions swimming in those pale eyes no man had ever felt for her...never would, most likely. This was as close to gaining John Sheppard's affection as she would ever come. It was not an opportunity to be wasted.

Stroking back stray spikes of his black hair now clinging to the sweat on his face, she leaned in and kissed him, hoping that would provide answer enough.

This time, unlike previous occasions when he'd hardened his mouth against hers and bucked away, his lips remained yielding, returning the softness of her contact with a gentleness of their own. She snaked her hand up the back of his clammy neck and into his damp hair, hearing a soft groan induced by her caresses. The noise sent a thrill through her, and she kissed him more deeply, ecstasy welling inside her as she felt his tongue entwine with hers in a willing reciprocation of her desire.

Her skin tingled as his hands slipped up her arms then cupped her face, pulling her just a little more firmly against his mouth, as he sucked her tongue, sending waves of pleasure through her body.

Vaguely remembering she had a task to perform, and an audience in tow, she fought to keep her head.

'Sarayah!' Parhaadon hissed, snapping both of them out of the moment.

'Whu...? Where?' Sheppard drawled, and she stroked the back of her fingers down his cheek to calm him.

'Don't worry, she's far from here,' she assured him, gesturing wildly for her men to back off and stay quiet.

Parhaadon scowled and backed away.

It was only now she realised she'd actually climbed onto the chair with Sheppard, and was now sitting in his lap with her knees either side of his hips. This man had a dangerous effect on her clarity of thinking, especially when he was being so compliant.

Sheppard caught her hand and pressed it to his cheek, turning his face toward it so his lips brushed her palm as he spoke. 'I've missed you.'

Her heart skipped, though her stomach churned with envy for this woman who had so utterly captured his devotion. 'I've missed you, too,' she replied, realising there was more than a small amount of truth in her declaration.

He pressed his lips to her palm now, and she leaned in, turning his face to hers so she could kiss him again. As they smothered each others' mouths, he said quietly, 'Let your hair down...I like it that way.'

Without a moment of hesitation, she sat back and slipped the knife she'd put back in her belt under the bindings on her hair, setting it free to fall around her shoulders and down her back. It was an extremely liberating moment, until Sheppard wound his fingers into it and pulled her face back down to his. Was this the real Sheppard, she wondered as he now took charge, clutching her against him so tightly she could barely breathe. Was this truly the level of passion he kept repressed beneath that cool and distant exterior?

Realising Parhaadon would no doubt leap to her rescue if she let this continue, she tore free, grasping his hands in hers, as his distant eyes drifted up to her face. 'If you can't get through these bars to the 'gate, then perhaps I could go through,' she suggested, rubbing his fingers in hers. 'Give me Atlantis' address and I can dial them up and get them to send help to you.'

'You need my IDC transmitter and code, too.'

'Okay, but just the address first,' she told him, checking over her shoulder to see Parhaadon approaching, data pad in hands, ready to take down the information.

She signalled for him to remain completely silent so he wouldn't disturb Sheppard from his hallucination. Sheppard's eyes seemed to glaze over even more at that point, and she desperately tried to stop him losing his train of thought.

'John...the symbols...please!'

'Can't...can't do it...'

'Yes you can, just tell me and I can get us out of here.'

He looked at her – through her – and the softness in his eyes hardened. He shook his head. 'They want me to say it...'m not gonna.'

'John please...you have to help me!'

But it was too late. The moment was gone. His chin hit his chest and he mumbled, 'My name is John Sheppard, Lieutenant Colonel –'

Sarayah screeched in rage and punched him. How could he keep doing this? Why wouldn't he give up? She swung her arm back to strike him again, but a rough, callused hand caught her wrist.

'I think you've already done enough to him...Commander,' Solvaat suggested, and from the way he set his face it seemed he was expecting repercussions.

Determined not to show them what Sheppard had told them about her was true, she forced down the urge to lash out at the man, sliding off the chair and smoothing back her hair.

'I...could try half a guula. It could be enough to tip the balance of his mind,' Parhaadon suggested.

She was about to agree when her radio crackled into life. 'Commander?'

'Yes. What is it?' she snapped, taking a few steps away from the others while she regained her composure.

'We've found Greekaf. He's been killed...by a Wraith.'

Her heart stopped for just a second. She looked back over her shoulder at Sheppard, now slumped in the chair with blood oozing from the split lip she'd dealt him. He'd been right. At least one Wraith had survived.

'Bring his body back to camp. I want to see it for myself,' she ordered. 'And be careful out there.'

She swept out of the cave to wait for her troops, pulling back her hair and plaiting it to stop it falling in her face. Parhaadon ran after her.

'What should we do with Sheppard? We still need that ship, but we can't risk bringing his friend here until we know the Wraith is gone.'

'Throw him in the hut,' Sarayah told him, walking toward the campfire. 'We will need Atlantis' address sometime, whether there's a Wraith on this planet or not. We'll figure out a way to get him talking later.'

She left a bewildered Parhaadon behind her. She simply couldn't deal with his questions until she was calm again.

**A/N Before anyone mentions it, I know Nancy's new man wasn't called Greg really, but that was what Sheppard thought he was called in Outcast, so it made sense he would remember it that way in his hallucination. Thanks to those of you leaving feedback for your continued support. It's very encouraging. :D**


	19. Chapter 19

Nudging Greekaf's desiccated body with the toe of her boot, Sarayah couldn't help but grimace. Though she'd heard tell of the effects of a Wraith feeding, she'd never seen it firsthand before. The thought a similar creature had stolen and then returned Sheppard's life awoke an anger that surprised even her. How dare it make him suffer this indignity? And how could he still be so strong after such a dehumanising process?

The body had been discovered in the open some distance from the ravine and a long way from any cover. If the creature had crept up on Greekaf without being heard in such an exposed place, it was highly skilled in stealth. That thought made her uncomfortable, and she was glad to be within the perimeter. She ordered two of the troops there with them to wrap the body and send it on the truck back to Atrasca. Though she felt no great loyalty to the Atrascans, she knew it was an important tradition for them to honour their dead back on their home world, and to leave him there, buried on such a barren planet where his life had been so savagely stolen would be unthinkable. She needed to keep them onside – for now.

'Sarayah,' Parhaadon called, gesturing for her to walk aside with him for a moment. 'I can't say I enjoyed seeing you prostitute yourself that way with the prisoner. I'm not sure you had to take the deception that far. He already believed you were this 'Nancy' anyway.'

'I was taking advantage of his moment of weakness,' she snapped, annoyed at his suggestion she was anything less than professional. 'You saw how he reacted. This Nancy clearly means a lot to him. If he will give the address out to anyone, it will be her.'

'Do you plan to use that ploy again?' he asked, his face showing his clear disapproval of the idea.

'If I think it will work...yes.'

'Well, we cannot do it for a while. We have to let the Joopei leave his system before administering it again now or we risk getting the levels wrong. Too much would risk his life.'

'Is that true, or are you just jealous those kisses were not for you?' she smirked, fixing him with her penetrating gaze.

He looked away, unable to meet it. 'I hated seeing you demean yourself that way.'

She looked at the pathetic excuse for a man standing in front of her and felt nothing but disgust for him. She managed to make it sound like something else, though.

'Parhaadon, you know you are the only man I care about,' she purred, stroking his cheek. 'Why would I even consider giving my attention to someone else?'

'Except Supreme Commander Danteeras, of course,' he blurted out, folding his arms across his chest as he continued to stare off across the camp.

_Considering your wife waits for you at home, you have no right to be jealous_, she thought. Danteeras was even more repulsive to her than Parhaadon and his weak will, but he had his uses, mainly being in command and so able to give her the type of position she needed to feel complete in his army. She might have lost her status in Medulsan society, but in the Atrascan army she still held sway.

'He is a means to an end...and my efforts with him have brought me closer to you. Surely you don't disapprove of that?' she demurred, playing him as easily as she might a set of Medulsan pipes.

'Of course not,' he replied, removing the barrier his arms had formed between them, and giving her a warm smile. 'I treasure the opportunity.'

'I'm glad,' she said, starting to walk away to him. Now I'm going to the hut to keep an eye on our friend until he wakes. In the interim, I want you to come up with another method of questioning him that will not endanger his life.'

'Yes, Sarayah,' she heard him agree as she walked away. Men were such fools. Only the one lying in that hut had any kind of strength of character, a quality she found mesmerising. Eventually, she would destroy that, too, then his hold over her would be broken and she would be able to think of something else at last. She longed for a time when her mind would be her own to rule again.

oooOOOooo

Sweat ran down from his temple and stung Sheppard's eyes as he began to surface from his stupor. His head felt like it was expanding and contracting over and over, and he could hear an odd moaning sound that had him worried for a while until he realised it was his own breathing.

He forced his eyes open to relative darkness and an uncomfortable dry heat magnified by the metal walls around him. _Not the damned hut again!_

As he tried to push up into a sitting position his arms proved reluctant to support his weight. Several times he attempted it, falling back down onto his left shoulder from where he'd started out. Eventually, sheer stubbornness got him up and he slumped against the wall, letting it take over the burden of holding him up.

When his split lip began to throb he tried to touch it, finding his wrists had been restrained again, this time in front of him, the bandages providing some protection against the sharp metal, though he could feel them wearing thin. He figured keeping his hands still was his best bet. It wasn't like he was going anywhere anyway.

What the hell kind of painkillers had that mad scientist given him? He felt like he was in a boat on a rough sea even now, and his stomach seemed convinced of it, too, surging as it was. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this sick...oh, yeah he could. It was right before he barfed all over said mad scientist's boots. But he couldn't remember the time before that.

Then the flashes started, just to add to the misery, the terrible trio leaning over him and asking questions, Rodney's voice asking for the 'gate address for Atlantis...as if! Sheppard reached up and massaged one of his temples, trying to ease the aching building in his head. He remembered the awful feeling of trying to open his eyes...the sensation of drowning, Nancy calling for his help...

Nancy...

That had been one very intense and realistic hallucination. It left him with a sense of emptiness he hadn't acknowledged for a long time. He missed Nancy. He wished he'd been able to tell her more...anything that could have assuaged her fears whenever he'd walked out the door. If he had she maybe would have stayed. The memories of her kisses and touches set his mind in a whirl. He longed for that closeness, that gentleness. Since coming to the Pegasus galaxy he'd been to hell and back more than once, and he needed something to balance out the pain. Hallucinations weren't enough; they just taunted him with what might never be.

But it had felt very real...

A lamp flicked on to his left.

His breath caught as he breathed in. He didn't need to look to know who would be sitting in there with him.

'Back with us, pretty one?'

He swallowed, the pain in his throat now returning with his increased tension. 'Seems that way,' he croaked, the sound scraping his raw vocal chords.

'I suppose you're feeling pleased with yourself,' she purred. 'You continue to defy us despite our attempts to loosen your tongue.'

'Yeah...pleased...that's exactly how I feel right now,' he quipped, wishing he didn't sound quite as nervous as he did. He tried to clear his throat, flinching with the pain of it.

'I take it your throat still hurts,' she asked, smirking at him from the sickly yellow pool of illumination her lamp afforded her.

'I guess getting half-strangled will do that to you,' he grumbled, watching as she flipped open a case she lifted from the ground beside her. To his horror, she pulled out a syringe like the one Parhaadon had used.

'Seems you were right about the Wraith,' she told him, casually examining the implement, stroking her fingers along the cylinder. 'It got to one of our men during the night.'

'I'm sorry to hear that,' he sneered, but the flash of anger he saw as her eyes lifted to his stopped him from voicing his amusement any further.

'Of course, we're safe here within the perimeter – you know that from your own painful experiences. So, we are proceeding as planned...unfortunate that Dr McKay will have to traverse the ground between here and the ring with a Wraith on the loose, but I'm sure Supreme Commander Danteeras will ensure he is well protected when he makes that journey.'

Sheppard's kept his eyes on the syringe as she caressed its length. There was something undoubtedly suggestive in the way she slid her fingers around the shaft, something he presumed was intentional on her part. 'I'm sure.'

Reaching around behind her, she pulled out a bottle of the luminous medicine Parhaadon had forced into him. She held it up in the light, sparkles reflecting on the walls and ceiling around them. 'I have to admit, I think Parhaadon may be onto something with this little brew of his. It certainly made you more...pliant.'

She unscrewed the lid, then jabbed the needle point through a bladder covering the neck of the container. Pumping the trigger mechanism, they both watched as the cylinder began to fill. 'One...two...three...four...five...six,' she counted, slowly dragging out the process. 'Six didn't quite work, did it? It just took away your pain and left you somewhat...relaxed.'

Sheppard vaguely remembered Parhaadon talking him through a scenario in which he'd supposedly powered up the crashed Ancient vessel. He'd bought it for a time until he'd realised the images were actually memories he was dredging up from his time on the Aurora. No, six hadn't quite worked. He watched her draw in another measure, his body feeling cold now despite the heat.

'Seven...now seven was more successful. You started talking about the Dr McKay, and we really thought you were going to help him dial that address...but you held out.'

Yes, he remembered that, too. So if she knew about those hallucinations, did that mean...

'But eight...oh, now eight was something quite extraordinary. Eight brought out _Nancy_.'

'Oh, crap!' Sheppard sighed, drawing up his knees and covering his face with his bound hands. Nancy had and always would be a weakness for him. If Sarayah knew what had happened in his hallucination, she would no doubt use that against him, even if it was just for humiliation.

'Nancy's very special to you, isn't she?' she smirked, filling the syringe up to that mark. 'You certainly know how to keep a secret. You never mentioned her when we last met.'

He peered out through a small gap in his fingers so she wouldn't be able to see him watching her. Despite the fact the cylinder was now filled up to the eight mark, Sheppard noted she kept the needle in place. He really didn't want her pumping that stuff into him when they were alone. Loss of inhibitions was one thing, but loss of inhibitions while she was sniffing around was something else entirely. 'Well, I don't recall us having that kind of conversation,' he pointed out.

'No...I suppose not. Nancy hurt you, didn't she, Sheppard? She left you for another man –'

'No!' he said, rather more forcefully than his throat could deal with. Once he had his coughing back under control, he lifted his head and added. 'She left me, _then_ got another man.'

She gave him a cruel smile. 'Does that make a difference?'

'Yes it makes a difference!' he insisted.

'Does it make you feel less of a failure?'

That stung. No, it didn't, but it was the only thing that made the pain of Nancy's rejection bearable. She had left him because she couldn't cope with the pressure his work placed on their relationship...not because she'd fallen out of love with him. 'Go to hell,' he muttered, deciding not to allow her to draw him any further on the subject.

'So, do you still prefer my hair loose?' she asked.

The follicles on the back of his neck prickled. 'What?'

'Back in the cave you told me to let my hair down.'

No, he'd told Nancy to let her hair down in his hallucination...but now when his mind flashed back, it was Sarayah's face in front of him, not hers. _Oh, God, no! Please don't let that have happened!_

'Nothing to say, pretty one?' she asked, holding up the syringe so he could see her draw yet more fluid into it. 'Parhaadon said another half a guula would have been enough to win your compliance had we not been interrupted. Shall we see if that's true?'

The hot house, though small anyway, suddenly felt like the most claustrophobic place he'd ever been shut up in. 'You...you had no right to do that to me!' he hissed, trying to keep the emotions now vying for attention under his normal strict control.

'You're our prisoner, Sheppard. You don't get to tell me what I can and cannot do.'

They'd kissed...he'd held her face in his hands, and she his. He could still remember the coolness of her touches on his feverish skin. The thought of the violation made him nauseous...and angrier than he'd ever been. He'd had no choice...she'd caught him in a moment of weakness, and now she wanted to do it again...make him susceptible to suggestion, gain his compliance, fool him into seeing what she wanted. And he doubted what she really wanted him to see was the co-ordinates to Atlantis.

Sarayah set down the bottle, and tested the flow, setting free a tiny fountain of droplets that pattered to the dusty ground. 'I'm going to enjoy finding out just how much more of the real John Sheppard I can draw out of you,' she teased. 'I would never have imagined you were capable of that kind of passion...Nancy was a lucky woman...lucky and very, very foolish.'

'I don't think she'd agree,' he joked, but even as he said it, he was pushing away from her, sliding his back up the wall and trying to stand, hoping his legs would play ball.

'Why don't we make this more...fun?' she grinned.

_No...no...seriously this is all the fun I can stand! _Sheppard mentally pleaded, but he didn't let those words out past his lips.

Sarayah turned off the lamp, plunging them both into shadows. 'Ever go hunting in the dark, Sheppard?'

He maintained enough presence of mind not to answer that, sidestepping silently away from the spot he'd occupied before the lights went out.

'No? I have...many times. Funny how your eyes grow accustomed to the darkness after a while. Let's make this a challenge; you manage to fight me off until my people come to check on us, I won't put Parhaadon's drugs into you.'

Sheppard hoped they were due to check on them soon, because this place wasn't big enough to keep evading her. On the few occasions there had been enough light coming through the door to see, he would have estimated it to be no more than twelve or thirteen feet square. He squinted into the shadows, but couldn't make anything out. His legs felt strange and spongy beneath his weight, as if they might give up on him at any moment. A noise just behind him made him move more quickly than they were prepared for, and he stumbled down to one knee. He felt her hand make a grab for his belt and he twisted free, falling backwards into the wall and momentarily knocking himself dizzier than he knew it should have. The drugs hadn't cleared his system yet, and here she was just itching to pounce on him and spike him with some more. He must have been really,_ really_ bad in a previous life to deserve this.

To his surprise she didn't leap on him as he lay slumped on the ground. Apparently she was giving him a chance...or enjoying the sport too much to take advantage so soon. He pushed himself back up to his feet, his legs trembling with the effort. The heat alone in this place was unbearable; the dodging and panic was using up vital fluids he needed to conserve since she didn't seem to be planning to give him water this time. A faint flicker of a movement made him jump to his left and he heard the resounding clang of metal making contact with metal.

'Oooh, I'm blunting the needle, pretty one. You don't want me to do that. It'll only hurt more when I do catch you.'

_Which you will no doubt get a huge kick out of, _he thought, moving back the way he'd come from as he felt rather than saw her move in the direction he'd first tried heading in.

He got a few paces before the slight movement he could see stopped, and he sensed her turning his way. 'Honestly, Sheppard. Anyone would think you didn't want to get caught.'

_That would actually have been funny if it weren't for the current situation,_ he realised, disgusted with himself that he was developing an appreciation for her sense of humour. He edged away a few more paces, but a piece of compacted sand and earth crunched under his boot, alerting her to his location.

Feeling a rush of air, then a sharp prick in his arm, he pulled back before she had the chance to release the cylinder's contents into him. The movement tore his skin, but he figured that was the least of his worries, especially when he lost his balance again and fell. Scrambling away, he heard her just behind him. She pursued him, spinning his unsteady form and pushing him hard so he slammed into the wall again. Then she pinned him there, and he felt the syringe point just beneath his ear.

'Oh, that was far too easy, Lieutenant Colonel. Surely you can do better than that?' she droned, sliding her hand up his chest to hold him in place.

'Damn right I can!' He stamped down hard on her foot, then, when she leaned back to free it, brought his cuffed hands up under her chin in a blow that sent her stumbling back into the opposite wall.

Fighting the urge to cough his yelling had left him with, he ducked away into a corner, hearing her scream and lunge for the spot he'd just been in. The clatter of the needle hitting the wall rang out again. That was going to be one seriously blunt needle by the time she got hold of him. Surely someone could hear this and would come to investigate...if only to ensure she was safe.

Her cry of frustration split the air, jangling his sensitive eardrums. He remained in the corner, squinting into the gloom and capturing only the merest hint of movement from his adversary. She prowled in almost total silence across the ground, and before he caught sight of her again, she was almost on top of him, so close he could hear her breathing. Holding his own breath and taking a long step to the side, he made a quick exit before she could corner him.

It was clear she was using sound more than sight to follow him, something he decided he could use to his advantage. He bent down, sliding his hands across the dirt floor and finding a stone. Tossing the pebble a few feet away, he noticed a rush of air as she passed him en route to the sound. He stuck out a boot and brought her crashing to the ground. She screamed out a few words he didn't know, but understood the sentiment of, then scrambled up again.

Wondering if he could pull that one off a second time, he sought out another stone and threw it, but she wasn't so forthcoming with her response this time.

_Third time's a charm, _he thought, bending to reach for one more of the small rocks littering the sandy soil under his feet.

Something thudding into the backs of his legs, sending him spilling to the ground with knee-grazing force. Sarayah swiftly wrapped her arm around his neck, and tugged him back, digging her knee into his spine until he was arched painfully back against her. The now blunted needle pressed against what small amount of neck she'd left exposed. 'You lose,' she panted in his ear.

'You have some serious issues, lady,' Sheppard spat, trying to pull her arm away. The raw skin on his neck felt like it was splitting, and his restraints were starting to cut through his dressings and dig into the skin beneath, but he'd be damned if he would stop fighting. 'You need help!'

She laughed, the sound setting his teeth on edge and making him squirm all the more. 'I think you'll find you're the one in need of help, pretty one.'

'Stop calling me that!'

To his disgust he felt her lips rubbing against his cheek and he fought harder, but the position was impossible to free himself from in his weakened state. 'But you are so appealing,' she breath, planting soft kisses along his jaw line as he pulled his head away.

'Just stick me with the damned needle already...at least that way I might not remember all this!' he growled, his stomach turning over as the hand with the syringe began to work its way down his side.

She used the point to lift the hem of his shirt, dragging it up his skin painfully slowly. 'Oh, but I want you to remember this, Sheppard. This is the day I break you.'

He heard a clatter as the syringe dropped to the floor, leaving her hand free to explore. He bucked against the contact, only to be rewarded with the pain of her kneecap digging further into his back, and her arm tugging back harder on his neck. With his breathing thus restricted, his instincts to free up his airway meant his hands remained on her restraining arm, not the one with the real intent. She really was very good at this whole one-handed groping thing, he had to admit.

'You know, Sheppard. We don't have to stay here with these people.'

He tried to twist away as her hand made it down to his backside. 'What?'

'Well, I'm not bothered about finding Dr McKay, or getting their stupid ship airborne. I'm only with these people because I knew they could bring you to me.'

'Wh –' her hand slipping back up inside his shirt cut that word off. She kissed his jaw again, dragging her fingernails along the skin of his side and drawing all his follicles to attention. He gasped at the sensation, then grunted, 'Get off me!'

'If you're a really good boy, Dr McKay will be safe. No Sheppard to question...no way of finding him. Come on, John. Be a good boy for me.'

_Come on, John. You be nice to me, and I'll be sure your daddy gets the deal of the century._

No. No, not now. There was absolutely no way that memory was going to rise up from where he'd buried it a quarter of a century ago. Not now. Not here.

'What do you say, John? Shall we sneak away, just you and me, and see if we can't work out some of my "issues"?'

_Senator Laurel patted the couch in John's father's library, his lived-in face split by a lecherous smile. 'Why don't you come and sit down here, John, and we'll see what happens.'_

'No...no way,' he breathed, but he wasn't certain who he was answering.

'McKay would be safe.'

'_I can ensure your Daddy pulls off the deal of the century.'_

Sheppard let go of her arm, his cuffed hands dropping away and leaving him defenceless. He wasn't playing this game. It would only get him into more trouble, just like it had then. The more he stood up to her more, the more he would get hurt.

Just as he made that decision, the door opened, and Sarayah pushed him forward onto the ground as she straightened up.

'About time you showed up; he almost bettered me. I had to fight to defend myself!'

Sheppard huffed out an exasperated laugh into the dirt, then lifted his head to see Solvaat's bemused expression as he looked first at his commander, then down at their prisoner. 'Doesn't look like you had much to worry about, Commander,' he grunted. 'Supreme Commander Danteeras says we are to continue questioning the prisoner for the location of Atlantis. He is planning to send through a heavily armed squadron to hunt down the Wraith, and he instructs us to stay within the confines of the perimeter until it's done.'

'Very well,' Sheppard heard her reply, then she stepped over him on her way out the door. 'Pick that up and bring it with you,' she ordered, pointing at him.

Solvaat helped Sheppard to his feet, pausing as he spotted the syringe on the ground beside him. He shook his head, then realised Sheppard was watching and tugged him toward the door.

'She's a piece of work, your boss,' Sheppard said, dragging his feet as they walked.

'She's certainly a piece of something,' Solvaat agreed without looking at him.

**A/N Thanks to the people leaving reviews for your continued support. It's still much appreciated!**


	20. Chapter 20

Elizabeth leaned on the rail outside her office and watched the 'gate as the control staff confirmed Ronon's IDC and lowered the shield.

Ronon stepped through the Stargate and threw a motionless body to the floor. He was soon followed by Teyla, Rodney and four of Lorne's men who carried two more limp Atrascans into the city.

'Medical team to the gate room...and tell them we need three gurneys,' she barked, running for the stairs and hurrying to join them. 'Ronon, what happened to not hurting them?'

'I didn't hurt them; I stunned them,' he shrugged, strolling past her.

'The leader was showing signs of resistance,' Teyla said, trying to explain his actions. 'It was far simpler to get them to the Stargate this way.'

'I fail to see how carrying them could have been simpler than making them walk, but I'll take your word for that.' She spotted Rodney at Teyla's side, grinning and relaxed. 'What's so amusing, Rodney?'

'You should've seen him. He walked in there like Schwarzenneger, shooting them down one after the other. It was so cool.'

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows and stared at him. 'Cool?'

'Rodney partook in a drink the Medulsans use to steady their nerves. It appears to have been most successful,' Teyla explained again, looking more agitated herself that Rodney did, which made a pleasant change. The Athosian was far more reserved with her concerns than Rodney ever was, so it had less impact on the rest of the crew.

'Really?' Elizabeth replied, wondering just what they'd given him.

'Yeah. I can't wait to tell Carson about it. It calms you with no effect on your performance. He's bound to want to study it because, seriously, I feel like I could take on the world!'

'No effect, huh?' she asked dubiously. 'Well, we'll have to put that on hold for now, Rodney, because I'm pretty sure Carson will have his hands full looking after these guys for a while. Let's debrief in my office, shall we?'

Teyla and Rodney followed her up the stairs, and when they reached her office Ronon was already waiting for them, having anticipated her next act.

She ushered them all to seats and sat behind her desk. 'So, did we manage to gather any intelligence from these men before stunning them?' she asked.

Sheppard's team all looked at each other, then Rodney spoke up. 'No, but to be honest, the leader was about as arrogant a man as you could hope to meet. I doubt he would have told us anything useful anyway.'

'Might have been better if we'd tried finding out first,' she suggested, leaning back in her seat and swinging it from side to side as she regarded them all.

'I concur with Rodney's assessment,' Teyla chimed in. 'I do not believe he would have told us anything under those circumstances.'

'Perhaps not,' Elizabeth conceded. 'Maybe they'll feel a bit more talkative when they wake up.'

'Let us hope so,' Teyla replied, her expression grim.

'And the Medulsans? I trust no one was hurt,' Elizabeth checked.

'They are all well. Even Rodney played his part in protecting them. He was most impressive.'

Elizabeth turned her large eyes to the scientist who sat before her, beaming proudly.

'I think I may have missed my vocation in life,' he grinned.

'As long as Alishia can keep you dosed up on her bravery brew,' Elizabeth pointed out. 'You're fine as you are, Rodney. We have lots of marines to do the gun toting, but we only have one genius.'

'I won't tell Zelenka you said that,' he smirked.

'No, I'd appreciate that.'

Though the walls of the conference room dulled the noise, they all responded to the sound of the gate activating unexpectedly, bringing their conversation to an abrupt halt.

'Dr Weir, we have an incoming wormhole,' Chuck said into her earpiece. 'It's the Genii.'

'Lower the shield,' she ordered him, as they all stood and headed to the gate room to hear what news he'd brought them.

'Dr Weir,' Ladon smiled as he emerged from the event horizon. 'I have the full list of Atrascan outposts we are currently aware of. It numbers over twenty, I'm afraid, so I've come to offer troops to assist in the search.'

'Thank you, Ladon. We appreciate all the work you've put into bringing it to us. No offence, but we've just completed an operation we're hoping will mean we won't have to use your list at all.'

Though he looked surprised, he thankfully didn't appear angered by her news. 'Really? May I ask what you have done?'

'No,' Ronon grumbled, but Elizabeth flashed him a warning look and he backed down.

'We've acquired a few Atrascan guests,' she told the Genii chief. After all the work and assistance he'd given and offered, the least she could do was answer his question.

His eyes widened in surprise. 'I see. And you plan to question them about Sheppard's whereabouts?'

'That's the plan, yes.'

He nodded. 'It might work. It's certainly worth a try considering the work involved in searching these various outposts. Have they shown any willingness to talk yet?'

'Not yet. They're currently unconscious in our infirmary.'

'Oh.' Ladon flashed a look Ronon's way, somehow knowing the Satedan was responsible. 'That's unfortunate.'

Elizabeth was just about to ask Ladon to join them for their discussions when Carson's voice broke through on her earpiece. 'Elizabeth. Our three guests are waking up, and the one who claims to be their leader is...how should I put it...far from a happy camper. I thought you might like to know.'

'Thank you, Carson. We'll be right there.'

They headed to the infirmary and found their guests surrounded by the security she'd ordered to the infirmary, and far from pleased to be there. Elizabeth planted herself beside the bed of the youngest and mouthiest, trying to open up a dialogue with him.

'My name is Elizabeth Weir, and I'm commander of this facility. What should I call you?'

The young man regarded her with utter disgust. 'I have no intention of telling you my name...or anything else for that matter.'

'And there's no need,' she heard Ladon announce from just behind her. 'I recognise this boy and his arrogance. He's Radaal Danteeras, the supreme commander's son.'

Elizabeth's eyes swept across the faces of the others gathered there, all of them looking equally as shocked as she was. This was a turning point, but whether for the better or for the worse she wasn't yet sure.

'Well, we've either struck gold or a landmine. I haven't decided which yet,' she sighed, rubbing her tired face. 'So, we have Danteeras' son in our infirmary. I wonder how much of a lieutenant colonel that buys?'

They gaped back at her, then a smile split Rodney's face. 'We have so got him over a barrel,' he scoffed. 'He'll have to deal now.'

'Let's hope so,' Elizabeth smiled, but not having sampled the bravery juice Rodney had imbibed, she didn't feel like getting too hopeful just yet.

oooOOOooo

Having had his night disturbed by impudent aliens, Danteeras was almost asleep in his chair when someone thumped on his door and creaked it open.

'Supreme Commander?' his assistant, Meeldar, ventured.

Furious she'd caught him dozing, he snapped, 'What is it now, girl? How is a man supposed to concentrate with these constant interruptions?'

She bowed her head in shame, but took a couple more steps into his room regardless. 'I'm sorry for the intrusion, Sir. But we've just received a message I thought you would want to hear immediately.'

He sighed, wondering why he had surrounded himself with such idiots who were not capable of sorting even the simplest issue themselves. 'All right. What is it?'

'Commander Thelbaar reports the team who travelled to Medulsa to gain information haven't returned yet.'

Danteeras could literally feel the colour draining from his face. 'What? But they were due back a while ago.'

'We know. Our communications officer has been trying to contact them, but to no avail.'

Much as this news would not normally trouble him much, Danteeras was glad he hadn't stood because there was no way his legs would have continued to support him after this news.

'Tell Thelbaar to send another team through immediately. Tell him I expect him to lead them himself. And tell him if he doesn't find news of that team he needn't bother returning...but don't tell him my son is one of the missing! He doesn't need to know that until he retrieves him.'

His voice had risen in volume so much by the end of his outburst that the girl could be seen actually shaking before him. He didn't have time for her uselessness. They had to find that team now.

'Go now! Get out of my sight! And I don't want to see your face until you can tell me something useful...UNDERSTAND?'

She nodded meekly and backed away. 'Yes, Sir.' Then she hauled the thick metal door shut behind her.

Dropping his head into his hands, Danteeras realised he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time...desperation. Even through all their trials and setbacks, with the losses on the surface to the Wraith, he'd never reached that point. But this was different...this struck not at his power base, but at his heart. It was just as he had felt when he'd discovered his wife lying dead in their personal quarters, dead by her own hand, a feeling he had hidden from everyone for fear it, too, would be viewed as a sign of weakness. He couldn't lose his son, too.

oooOOOooo

Solvaat supported Sheppard back to the cave, then let him stand in the clear area beside the chair that had been used for his earlier questioning, awaiting instructions.

Parhaadon strolled over from his makeshift lab, and proceeded to carry out some kind of brief and brusque medical check on their prisoner; pupil response, heart rate, blood pressure...the usual suspects.

'We'll he's awake, but far from clear of the influence of the drugs. We can't use them again just yet or there's a risk of overdose.'

'I am aware of that, Parhaadon. What do you suggest we should try to persuade him with in the mean time?'

Sheppard shot Sarayah a look that could not only have killed her, but put her safely six feet under in the process. She'd never had any intention of sticking him with those drugs. That had just been her twisted idea of...of what, punishment, retribution...foreplay? That final thought was too hideous to consider. It sent a shudder through him where he stood.

The scientist pulled her aside and spoke quietly with her, while the commander kept her eyes on their prisoner. They were plotting something again, that much was obvious from the smug smile spreading across her face. So what crazy little scheme would they cook up this time? 'Can we use the sonic device yet, or is he still too _fragile_?' she asked, raising her voice so Sheppard could hear now, and emphasising that last word to drive the meaning in like some form of weapon.

Sheppard set his jaw. Sore he might be, but he was far from finished yet.

'It might be risky. If we begin again too soon after the shock he incurred at the perimeter, he could rupture internally and we may not be able to repair that.'

Sarayah pouted in thought, pulling her plait forward over her shoulder and toying with it as her eyes drilled into Sheppard. He kind of liked the fact his torture was so...problematic for them. At least, he liked it until she asked for more hair binding with the sort of glint in her eye that made him certain she wasn't planning to tidy herself up.

Solvaat collected the desired binding and handed it to her. She sat in the chair and began work immediately, cutting off several stretches of the thin leather strapping, weaving them together at one end.

'I'm glad you are going to cover your hair again, Commander. I appreciate it isn't your way, but...what are you doing?' Parhaadon asked.

'We need to question him in a way that won't affect his former injuries or treatments, right?' she asked, continuing to work. 'I'm giving us another method.'

One Sheppard remembered only too well. His heart sank into his boots. He knew exactly what she was making, and why she was making it, and he wasn't sure he could handle that right now.

'Solvaat. Take the lamp down from that support strut, and take off Sheppard's restraints and shirt.'

'Commander?' Solvaat questioned, glancing Sheppard's way.

'I have suspected you are stupid for a while,' she growled, remaining focussed on her work. 'But I know you are not deaf. Now, do as I ordered.'

Sheppard continued to watch her with morbid fascination as she worked, amazed at the speed with which she could fashion her weapon of choice. He felt a tug as his restraints were removed, but it barely registered. He supposed at least she wasn't whipping him on top of any other injuries this time, not like the second time she'd lashed him back on Medulsa. That had been pure agony. Then he stopped himself. Was he really comparing this in a positive way? Now he knew his situation had sunk to a new low.

His concentration was broken as Solvaat tugged his thick shirt off over his head, revealing the oozing scrape the needle had left down his ribs and side.

'When did that happen?' Parhaadon asked. 'That wasn't there after we brought him in from the truck crash.'

Sarayah flicked her eyes up to what by her standards was a minor injury. 'As I already told Solvaat; he attacked me in the hut. I had to defend myself.'

By the time Sarayah started tying chunky knots into the strips of binding, Sheppard was ready to make a bolt for it. Maybe if he struggled and broke away, kept them at arm's length to buy himself some time...he might only need five or ten minutes before someone came to help him. His team would be searching for him; there was always hope, and he wasn't ready to let her thrash him senseless without at least trying to stop her. He took a surreptitious step back, just one, but it gave him some breathing space. His legs felt...well...if not strong, stronger. He could do this...sheer bloody-mindedness would keep him going if nothing else.

'Now, I want you to hang those restraints over the lamp hook, and secure Sheppard to them from the other side of the post,' Sarayah instructed, standing up and stroking the leather strips out straight in her palm.

Parhaadon stepped forward now, grasping her upper arms. 'Sarayah, you cannot be serious about this. It's..it's...barbaric!'

Sheppard took another step back while Solvaat was distracted by the discourse, then another. The yawning mouth of the cave looked more and more inviting. Did he dare do this knowing how much grief he would get if rescue wasn't waiting out there?

'And I suppose your methods are considered civilised because they leave no visible marks,' she spat, shaking his hands loose. 'Just like the hair – so neat, so ordered. You are as much a barbarian as I am, Parhaadon. You just don't have the courage to admit it.'

'I had no idea you felt so –'

Sheppard was already at the mouth of the cave before any of them noticed his retreat. He took off, his legs trembling beneath him as his adrenaline surged. Having his arms free now gave him even better balance than he thought he had, and he stayed upright despite the fact he'd feared he wouldn't be able to.

Yelling from the trio he'd left behind soon got the attention of several goons sitting near the fire enjoying breakfast, but as they approached something feral inside him awoke and he ploughed straight into the one in his path, who, in turn, sent the other three bowling over along with him.

Teelac was next to try to intervene. He felt a flicker of guilt as she drew her gun to fire and he punched her to the ground, but it was fleeting and gone before he could truly feel bad.

'No guns!' he heard Solvaat yell from behind him. 'Bring him down by other means.'

The sound of his blood rushing in his ears almost deafened Sheppard to everything else going on around him now. His body wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer, and he looked toward the tree growth surrounding the oasis, now silhouetted against the setting sun, searching the sky above it for any signs of a jumper. _C'mon guys! Right about now would be good!_

Lost in that thought, he almost didn't hear the footsteps thundering up behind him. He turned in time to see Sarayah leap for him, her lips drawn back in a savage grin reminiscent of a tiger about to rip its prey to shreds. She thudded into him, sending them both spilling to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs, and a cloud of choking dust.

Wild as she was, he did manage to get in two good blows before she grabbed his right wrist and pinned it to the ground. Then, her years of exploiting men's weaknesses kicked in and she brought her knee up sharply into his groin. His world exploded into a shower of flashing lights and agony, and after that, he could do nothing but coil up into a foetal position and wait for the surge of gut wrenching pain to pass.

Unfortunately, Sarayah had no intention of allowing him that luxury.

'Get him back in that cave,' she ordered, as several of her troops caught up with them. 'We've had quite enough of your nonsense, Sheppard. This ends now!'

Sheppard had no idea who was grabbing him and forcing him to get up, only that he wanted them to stop. The pain was so excruciating that he barely noticed them dragging him back to the cave until they dropped him on the cold floor and the change in temperature made itself known at some subconscious level. Rescue wasn't coming, he realised, at least not yet. That meant facing the consequences of his escape bid, and right now, he didn't feel like he had the strength to do that. Not that he had any choice.

A firm shove from a boot under his ribs rolled him onto his back, and he wasn't surprised to see Sarayah standing over him. She dropped her booted foot on his chest and leaned until the pressure increased enough to make breathing difficult. She had a graze on her left cheekbone and a cut on her lip that matched his own; he guessed they were his doing, and he kind of regretted it now...though not entirely.

'I take it from the fact you're running you know we have you beaten, Sheppard,' she smirked. The action obviously hurt, though, making her dab at her swollen lip with the back of her hand. 'Well, I hope you enjoyed that momentary glimpse of freedom, because it will be your last. Restraints.'

Sheppard closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths as she moved away and the pressure on his lungs eased. He tried to detach himself from the here and now, to let his mind roam to something else. He wanted to think of pleasant memories, the friendships he'd made back on Atlantis, the fact he'd risen further up the air force ranks than he'd ever imagined he would. The fact he could beat Rodney at chess, even though the man was a plain genius, and how infuriated that always left him.

He was jolted out of those thoughts momentarily when his face made contact with the rough bark of the light stand, and the slicing restraints were clipped back around his wrists. They were strung up so high he had to stand on his toes, leaving him horribly unbalanced and unnerved. To add to his discomfort, Sarayah caught hold of his black locks and tugged his head back to speak to him.

'Now, you be a good boy and tell us where we can find Atlantis, and this will all be over very quickly.'

'_Be a good boy and this will do wonders for your daddy's company.'_

No. Not that memory. If he was going to detach from this _that_ was not the place he wanted to go. He closed his eyes and tried to think of good things that had happened in his life, like joining the air force and marrying Nancy...that _had _been good...once. But now, as he thought of Nancy, all he could see was Sarayah's face. Tainted. Yet another bad memory.

'_You'll do this, or I'll make sure your daddy's company sinks without a trace.'_

Craacckk!

The sensation of several knotted tendrils battering his flesh brought him to the surface of that nightmare. Right now, he wasn't sure which he welcomed most.

He opened his eyes briefly, catching sight of Solvaat and Teelac standing side by side as they watched, their faces fixed in a mask of emotionless non-reaction. He hadn't felt as alone as he did at that moment for a very long time.

Craacckk!

The second blow hurt more than the first and brought tears to his eyes as he screwed them tight shut and pressed his lips together to hold back a scream.

'_What kind of a boy are you? How could you even suggest such a thing to the senator?'_

_I didn't do anything! _Sheppard thought in reaction to his father's question.

_Why would he lie, John? What has he got to gain from that?_

_And of course, you'd trust him more than you would your own flesh and blood._

Craaacckkk! The sensation of that flesh and blood ripping under the abuse tore Sheppard back from the angry memory awakening in him. A tear slipped down his cheek and dripped from his chin as he panted against the pain. Parhaadon's voice spoke to him from nearby.

'Do you really intend to take more of this punishment? Just give us the address!'

Sheppard forced his eyes open to glare at him. 'My name is –'

'Do not do this!'

'—John Sheppard, Lieu...Lieutenant –'

'Stop for your own sake!'

Craaaccckkk!

' – Colonel!' That word came out as a scream as the strips lacerated his back again. 'Sonofabitch!...United States Air Force –'

Craaaccckkk!

He dropped his forehead against the thick trunk he was tied to, unable to finish.

'_He tried to touch me, Dad. Not the other way round!'_

'_Why would a man in his position do something like that? Do you know what he could lose? You'll go to him tomorrow and apologise for what you did.'_

'_But I –'_

'_I don't want to hear another word. Now get out of my sight, you faggot!'_

Craaacckk!

He screamed into his chest, a low growling cry more to do with anger than pain. Helpless and humiliated, that was how she made him feel, just like Senator Laurel had when his father had forced him to apologise to the pervert the next day.

_This tough enough for you, Dad, or do you still think I'm a faggot?_ Sheppard wondered, his mind now drifting between his memories and what was happening to him there on Karafus. _Is this enough blood to prove I'm a man?_

Craaaccckk!

'Stop!' Sheppard whispered, only loud enough for himself to hear.

'_Stop that! Get your hands off me!'_

'_You're making a mistake, boy. You're screwing with the wrong guy. I can make things very easy for your Daddy, or very hard. You don't want to upset him, now do you?'_

Sheppard twisted his body away from grasping, greedy, none existent hands. Senator Laurel hadn't got what he wanted from him, and neither would she.

'Sheppard...please...' Parhaadon begged from a safe distance. 'No one would expect you to put up with this much.'

_I do,_ the colonel thought.

'Tell us the symbols for Atlantis!' the man practically begged. Seemed like these people had no stomach for visible violence. Did they really expect him to take pity on them and give up?

'My name...is John...Sheppard,' he panted. 'Lieutenant Colonel United...States Air Force, 163-23 –'

Craaaccck!

He was sure he'd actually felt his skin tear in several places that time. He wanted out now...he knew he'd done enough...knew no one would hold it against him...knew Atlantis could most likely defend itself against these people...but his father's slur always drove him to do more than was expected of him.

'_I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't mean to make you feel...uncomfortable.'_

_John stood in Senator Laurel's living room, head hung in supposed shame as he offered the apology it almost choked him to say._

'_That's all right, boy. I remember what it was like to be a fourteen-year-old myself...all hormones and mixed up feeling...no real harm done I suppose. What say we never mention this again?'_

'_That's very good of you, Senator,' John's father said from behind him. 'And I assure you this won't happen again.'_

_John lifted his eyes and glared at the senator, mentally calling him every bad name he knew and hoping he could somehow hear them. His father had taken his belt to him for the lies the senator had told about him. He wouldn't forget this in a hurry._

Craaaccckk!

'Please, Dad – stop!' he whimpered, another tear breaking free.

His mind continued to wander through that sordid episode, the one that had signalled the beginning of the end of the so-called relationship he'd shared with his father. His dad had called him a liar, told him he was ashamed of him, accused him of being gay, and as a result he'd rebelled against everything his father had planned for his life, choosing the air force – a real man's career – instead of staying in the family business. His dad could keep his utilities crap. Life in the air force would be a breeze compared to facing a man who didn't trust him every day.

He'd met Senator Laurel once as an adult...that had been more than enough. The man, by then quite aged, had visibly paled as Nancy had introduced him to John at some formal function she'd dragged him along to. It had been all he could do not to call the old bastard all the names he'd thought of back then in his living room, but the evident fear in the old man's face had been satisfaction enough in the end. Nancy had bent his ear about his ignorance for the rest of the evening, but he hadn't cared.

Craaaccckk!

Sheppard jerked at the contact, his legs buckling and the shackles carving into the skin on his wrists. The edges of his vision were darkening sooner than he'd expected them to, probably too much to drink at the party...Party? Where the hell had that come from?

'Give us the symbols.'

Sarayah's voice grated his jangled nerves and made the shadows recede. No! He needed the shadows. _Don't chase them away you whacky bitch!_

'My name is...John Sheppard, Lieu –'

Cracck!

_I think her arm's getting tired,_ he thought, chuckling inanely into his chest as the pain melted into the overwhelming agony now consuming him.

He could vaguely hear voices around him arguing about whether to let him down or not...no, actually, one voice arguing against several. Eventually, he felt himself begin to fall, and the agony of arms and hands catching hold of his raw flesh dissolved into bliss as he realised it was over.

He felt himself being lifted and carried out while two voices continued to rage against one another.

'That is enough and you know it, Sarayah! He cannot stand anymore.'

'He is close to breaking, you idiot. A few more lashes and he would have told us what we need to know!'

'He'll never tell us. You know as well as I do the man would rather die than give us what we want. Isn't that acutely obvious by now?'

'Who is in command here, Parhaadon? You or I?

'You are, but when the life of the prisoner is at stake I have to step in. We need him.'

'I would have stopped short of that!'

'He was already weak. Whatever you think he can stand is clearly not the case. It's out of your hands, Sarayah! I'm taking over care of this prisoner.'

The darkness closed in as Sheppard looked up to see bright blue sky with only the merest hint of clouds. Parhaadon thought she'd gone too far. Sarayah was losing control of the situation. He just hoped it didn't cause her to lose what little control she retained of herself, too.


	21. Chapter 21

Alishia, walked across the centre of the village to greet the second Atrascan party as they entered the clearing. They had arrived in greater numbers this time; evidently they were troubled by the absence of their colleagues and had come more prepared.

'Greetings, travellers,' she smiled. 'We are surprised to see more of your kind so soon after the last.'

'Then you admit to having seen the previous party we sent through?' Commander Thelbaar asked, taking an aggressive stance, his hand resting on his sonic gun as he addressed her. She noted his men all carried their weapons, but at this point had not levelled them, seeing no imminent threat from her or the other villagers now gathering.

'Of course,' she replied with a warm smile. 'They joined us for our midrise meal and asked us about Atlantis.'

Thelbaar glanced around at his troops, who all stood relaxed but ready for trouble if it should arise.

Alishia kept her expression open and friendly as that computed with them, waiting for the next inevitable question.

'Where did they go after they spoke with you?'

'To Atlantis, of course.'

That clearly confused the man. It never ceased to amaze her how these military types tried to patronise her people because they saw them as somehow less intelligent because they had no military structure.

'You gave them the address?' he asked, a cautious half-smile sneaking into his lips.

'No, of course not,' she said, blinking innocently back at him.

Losing patience now, the faint smile slipped back off his face. 'Then, how were they able to travel there?' he demanded.

'They had an escort,' Major Lorne said from the position he and his men had taken up behind them.

The team of Atrascans spun around, but were unable to raise their arms as the marines already had them at gunpoint.

'Drop your weapons, then hands up where we can see them,' the major warned.

Alishia watched, impressed with the smoothness of their operation, and the cool and collected way the troops from Atlantis conducted themselves. 'Major Lorne, would you like to take over this discussion?' she offered, stepping back to give him space.

Though smaller than many of the Atrascans, Lorne pushed through and turned to stand in front them. 'That's very kind of you, ma'am, although there's not much discussing to be done. You people are going to head right on back to the Stargate and stay away from Medulsa...oh, and when you get back to your world, let Supreme Commander Danteeras know he can have his people back once he releases Colonel Sheppard.'

'Supreme Commander Danteeras will not bend to your demands,' Commander Thelbaar informed him with a smug smile.

'Oh, I think he will on this occasion,' Lorne fired back, giving him a cocky smile of his own. 'Now, you just head back and do as we ask, and we'll see which one of us is right.'

Commander Thelbaar squinted at him, then ordered his men to turn around and start walking.

'I'm sure you won't mind if my people show you the way back,' Lorne called to him. 'We really do need that message to get through.'

The man faltered for a moment, but didn't bother to reply. He strode out of the village, trying to save as much face as he could in front of his troops, but Alishia could tell from the slight slump of his shoulders he was humiliated by the ease with which they had been tricked into compliance.

'Well, I think that went as well as it could have, Major,' she smiled down at him.

'I think so, too,' he agreed. 'Now all we have to do is hope Danteeras' son is as special to him as the brat would have us all believe. Dr Weir says he hasn't stopped screaming about what his dad will do to us since Ladon Radim identified him.'

'Why did you not let them know you had identified Danteeras' boy?'

'Dr Weir thought we should keep that part back for now. She didn't want the threat to appear too personal, and I'm inclined to agree. We can play that hand if all else fails.'

She nodded, watching as the last of Lorne's troops disappeared through the tree line. 'I certainly hope Danteeras values him. I do not enjoy the thought of Colonel Sheppard languishing at Sarayah's hands a moment longer than necessary.'

Lorne screwed up his face, and made an awkward jerking movement with his neck, as if his collar were suddenly too tight. 'You and me both, Alishia. You and me both.'

oooOOOooo

There was no way of knowing how much time had passed when Sheppard next woke, since he had no real knowledge of when he'd passed out. All he was aware of was the fact he was back in the hot house, losing precious liquids in more ways than one.

Remembering what had happened the last time he woke in that place he sat up far too quickly, feeling the pull of congealed blood sticking to the shirt they had been kind enough to redress him in. The sensation sent a wave of nausea to the pit of his stomach, and his head swam as if he was about to pass out again. He steadied himself against the hot wall, ignoring the way it burned his palm for as long as he could because it was preferable to falling on his face.

Thankfully, he appeared to be alone this time, although he couldn't completely relax because he'd thought that last time, too. Squinting against the darkness didn't help much, especially since the light had faded outside, so he didn't even have the benefit of those minimal shafts of daylight that broke through around the door earlier in the day. It did, however, mean his cell would cool down soon, and that could only be a blessing.

His mouth felt completely dry now, his tongue thickly coated and devoid even of his own saliva. His throat, though not feeling quite so bruised inside, now hurt through lack of moisture each time he swallowed. If they didn't give him something to drink soon he felt sure he would expire through desiccation without the help of their friendly neighbourhood Wraith.

The position he'd pushed himself up into was difficult to sustain, so he tried to arrange himself more comfortably, only to have the attempt trigger the latent pain in his back. The sensation rocketed as if someone was jabbing searing hot pokers into his skin, dozens of them. He sucked in a breath and rode the wave as the pain reached a crescendo, then thankfully subsided a little again. Shivering set in, and he swore under his breath because he knew that was a bad sign. He couldn't afford to go into shock locked up in that place alone.

After a couple more minutes of barely moving to avoid incurring more pain, he spotted a tiny light on the ground next to him. He couldn't fathom out what it could be, but forcing himself to reach out and grope across the ground around it, he realised what lay beneath his hand felt like a radio...an Atrascan radio from the shape of it, because it didn't feel like his.

Moving it stiffly up to his ear, he clicked the button he figured would activate it twice, wondering just who would be on the other end.

After a few seconds of silence, Sheppard heard the line crackle into life. 'Sheppard, is that you?'

He recognised Parhaadon's voice, distorted as it was by the electronics filtering it. He hesitated before answering, wracking his brain for any reason why the man would have left a direct source of communication to him in the cell. Then, figuring he couldn't get into any more trouble or pain than he was already in, he responded. 'Yeah, it's me,' he rasped, the words barely making it out past his arid vocal chords.

'Good, you're awake. I have to make sure no one is watching me, so sit still and I'll be with you as soon as I can.'

Sit still? Where did the idiot think he was going? Sheppard dropped the radio into his lap and leaned his head against the wall, waiting. His back throbbed with a growing intensity, and he shivered again, the rest of his body now cold in comparison to the raging heat of his wounds. He'd hoped never to face a whip again after leaving Medulsa, but then, he'd hoped to never face Sarayah again either. The two things seemed to go hand in hand. In a way he, was impressed she'd held back for as long as she had before beating the crap out of him. Apparently, she could hold her crazies in check when it was worth her while...something that made her even more scarily unpredictable that she already was.

He was beginning to drift into a semi-conscious daze when the door to the hut finally opened, and a figure slipped inside. He hopped it really was Parhaadon, but right at that moment he didn't have the energy to give a damn if it wasn't.

A phosphorescent lamp cast enough light on the scene to show him his new companion was, indeed, the one he'd been expecting. 'How are you feeling, Sheppard?' the man asked, squatting down beside him.

'Oh, good actually. Don't suppose I could get the heating turned up though; I'm a little cold.'

Obviously thinking that was his attempt at irony, Parhaadon broke into a smile. 'I am glad to hear you managing to joke. It is a good sign.'

'Good sign I'm losing it,' Sheppard muttered, shuddering involuntarily.

Parhaadon held his lamp up toward him, his face falling as he took a closer look. 'You do not look well.'

'Yeah...funny that,' he said, trying to shift again, but finding any movement too painful. 'And you guys have taken such good care of me.'

'That is why I'm here,' he confessed, leaning in close enough to thoroughly invade Sheppard's mental grid of personal space. 'I am afraid Sarayah will try to continue this level of violence because she is convinced you are on the verge of breaking. Danteeras has not sanctioned this treatment; if she kills you in her efforts, we will all be held accountable.'

'Gets a bit pissy if people break his toys, does he?' he asked, unable to muster the enthusiasm to sound like he gave a damn.

'He will be angry beyond measure. You are important to this mission; if our actions killed you...I do not care to think what he would do. That is why I think it's time to free you.'

Something about his story didn't sit right with Sheppard, even in his current state. Parhaadon was afraid Danteeras would have his guts if he died, but he wasn't scared of shoving him through the 'gate to his friends. Surely, if he had concerns, he would just ask for Sarayah to be removed from their operation.

'You want to help me escape?' he clarified, unable to keep the confusion from his voice. His head felt pretty woolly, and he needed to be sure he was following this guy's meaning.

'Yes...the penalty for allowing you to escape is far more lenient than if we were to kill you.'

'Is that right...?' Sheppard drawled. 'Seems to me the end result is pretty much the same.'

'Ah, but there is always the chance of recapture if you remain alive,' Parhaadon smiled. It wasn't a reassuring expression.

'Why don't you just tell Danteeras what she's been up to? Surely you'll score some points if you report her?'

His suggestion met with quiet laughter. 'She has manipulated the supreme commander to her will with ease. She would easily persuade him this was someone else's work...more than likely mine.'

Well, he'd clearly thought his story through because he had an answer for everything. But Sheppard still wasn't buying the nice guy act. Shivers rippled through him again, making him wince as they pulled at the sores on his back. Unimpressed with the Atrascan's pathetic deception, he closed his eyes and tried to turn his head away.

The man reached out and touched the back of his fingers to Sheppard's forehead. The colonel flinched away from the contact. 'You have a fever. It becomes more vital that we act quickly. Here, have this,' Parhaadon offered, pressing his water flask into Sheppard's trembling hand. 'There isn't much left, but I cannot get any more until tomorrow's rations are shared out.'

Convenient excuse, Sheppard thought, taking off the lid and draining the meagre contents. It was probably just enough to keep him going, but certainly not enough to give him the strength to take off into the desert again. He couldn't help feeling that was deliberate on the Atrascan's part. It was just another way to prolong the torture in an attempt to break him down.

'I cannot get you to the ring, Sheppard. There's no way I can smuggle you out of camp without someone seeing us.'

Sheppard's head pounded in rhythm with the throbbing of his fiery wounds. That was probably the most unpromising start to an escape plan he'd ever heard – pretty much over before it had begun. He tried to concentrate, to calculate the honesty of Parhaadon's words, but it was hard. He just wanted to sleep.

'If you give me Atlantis' address, I might be able to get to the ring and send them a message. They could come for you.'

Shaking violently now, Sheppard laughed, instantly regretting it as his pain peaked again. He held his breath until it ebbed away, panting then to regain his lost breath. 'I...don't think so.'

Parhaadon grasped his arm, and this time he didn't have the strength to pull away. 'I understand you do not trust me, Sheppard. I have given you no reason to, but you are gambling with your life here. I do not have the medications required to help you, and I dare not request help from Atrasca for fear that Danteeras will find out what has happened to you.'

'No disrespect,' Sheppard said, forcing the words out past his chattering teeth. 'But your welfare...really not a concern for me.'

'I'm not suggesting it should be...but knowing the constraints I face, surely you can see that giving me a way of contacting your friends is imperative now?'

Feeling weaker by the second, Sheppard closed his eyes and did his best to curl up into himself for warmth. 'Go away!' he sighed.

'Sheppard...please. I do not want your death on my conscience.'

'And I don't want the invasion of Atlantis on mine!' he shouted back, making himself sputter and hack and reigniting all the fiery pain he'd just quelled into a comforting warmth.

Parhaadon dropped his head into his hands. 'I want to help you, Sheppard, I promise you that is not my intention. Please...please just give me their address. A quick message and they will be here in good time, I'm sure.'

In the deepest, darkest recesses of his agued subconscious, a neon sign lit up reading Trap!

'You cannot take much more of Sarayah's punishment.'

'Doesn't want me dead,' he muttered blearily, closing his eyes again.

'What?'

'Sh'doesn't want me dead,' he repeated. 'No good to her dead.'

'You don't understand, Sheppard. Sarayah doesn't share our enthusiasm for making Lantean technology accessible. She will kill you just because you defy her...of that I am certain.'

'No...sh'won't.'

Dazed as he felt, Sheppard could feel Parhaadon's anger mounting as he contradicted him. He knew Sarayah wouldn't kill him, just as much as Sheppard did, he could hear it in the way the scientist's breathing became more ragged. He suspected Sarayah and this man were more intimate than would be deemed acceptable in Earth military terms. Parhaadon knew why Sarayah wanted him alive, and it made him jealous.

'You and S'rayah...you're close huh?' he asked.

'I...I don't think that's important.'

'Thought so,' he huffed. 'She's just using you, you know.'

'This...has nothing to do with her.'

'She's using you to...get to me,' he panted, gritting his teeth through another wave of tremors and pain. 'She told me I could leave with her to save McKay.'

He opened his eyes a crack, just wide enough to see the mounting anger and disbelief in Parhaadon's expression. Whether the man bought it or not, he'd sewn a seed of doubt; that was enough for now.

'She wanted to take you away from us?' he asked.

Sheppard nodded, closing his eyes again because keeping his lids up was too much effort now.

'All the more reason for you to give me Atlantis' address. I can get you away from her.'

'Leave me alone, Parhaadon,' Sheppard groaned.

'But I can help you!'

'Go away.'

'Give me their address...please...before it is too late for you.'

Sheppard wanted to believe him. He wanted the reassurance of familiar faces. He wanted drugs that would make him well and kill the pain without stealing his inhibitions and leave him susceptible. Damn it, he even wanted to lie down in an infirmary bed and hear Carson cursing him for being so bloody stubborn. He wanted to go home.

'The address, Sheppard!'

'Just tell me where you're going, John! I won't tell anyone else. It's not fair for you to expect me to sit here waiting for you to come home, wondering when some air force officer will turn up on my doorstep and tell me it's never going to happen,' Nancy's voice begged him.

'I can't tell you...sorry,' he whispered.

'Yes, you can. Before it's too late.'

'You and your damned code of honour, John! Sometimes I think you love the air force more than me!

'I's not true,' he slurred, trying to shake his head clear. The pain spiked again.

'Give me the symbols, Sheppard. Now!'

The strength in Parhaadon's demand snapped him back into focus. Stay sharp, John. He narrowed his eyes, set his jaw, and said, 'My name is John Sheppard, Lieutenant Colonel United States Air Force, 163-23-41...something...something...'

Parhaadon stood and kicked the side of the hut in frustration before operating his radio.

'It didn't work, Sarayah. He's still resisting.'

Sheppard laughed into his chest, but had to stop again when his pain welled. 'You guys...never give up...do you?' he panted, riding another body-wracking shudder. 'So when...did this plan start? When you walked...through that door...or back in the cave...before she whipped me?'

Before the man could answer him the door flew open and Sarayah marched in, accompanied by several of her soldiers. 'Oh well, I suppose it was worth a try,' she smirked, hunkering down beside Sheppard and wiping his wet hair from his forehead. He tried to move away, but found his body unwilling to comply. 'Give him something to make sure he recovers, Parhaadon. We'll try a new approach tomorrow.'

'No,' Sheppard groaned. 'I don't want any of your lousy drugs.'

Ignoring his protest, she shuffled around behind him, hurting him as she encircled him in her arms and he made completely ineffectual efforts to free himself. He was sick, he knew he needed help, but he didn't want to be out of commission with her hanging around.

One of the soldiers loitering behind Parhaadon handed him a syringe and bottle. It wasn't the stuff they'd used on him earlier, but he still didn't want it anywhere near him. As he tried to pull away, Sarayah tightened her grip, making the already unbearable pain just that bit worse.

'That comes near me, I break your arm,' he threatened the man.

'Shhh,' Sarayah whispered against his ear. 'Give it up, John. We have you beaten; it's time to admit it.'

'I'm not beaten!' he yelled, watching her sidekick bringing the syringe down to him. 'I won't give up! I'M NOT BEATEN!'

Parhaadon forced his head to the side and stuck him, setting the medicine loose into his vein. Sheppard could feel Sarayah's breath on the side of his face, fast and excited as he struggled. What was wrong with this woman? And why the hell was she so damned determined to make him fold?

'Grab his legs and hold him till it kicks in,' she ordered her scientist friend. 'We don't want him to damage himself anymore than he already is.'

Like I could if I tried! he thought as a replica of his own voice laughed in his mind. Much as he strained, he could already feel his consciousness detaching itself; he couldn't do anything to anchor it to him any longer. Not even the pain was pulling him back to reality anymore.

The hut and the soldiers around him began to tilt at an alarming angle. Sarayah's ragged breathing sounded echoey and distorted in his ears. He gave up his minimal resistance and lay still, feeling what amounted to paralysis creeping into his limbs, a heavy lethargy that left him unwilling to even try to defend himself any more

He felt his body tipping slowly backwards, throwing his spatial awareness into further chaos as Sarayah lowered him to the ground. Then she knelt beside him and spoke, in his ear although her voice sounded as if it was muffled by several walls. 'Give it up, Sheppard. Just let go.'

I'm not giving up! he wanted to scream back at her, but his body had other ideas, shutting him down before he could even draw the breath needed to say it.


	22. Chapter 22

Winding his way swiftly down the dark corridors of their underground facility, Commander Thelbaar hurried with the news the Atlanteans had asked him to deliver to Supreme Commander Danteeras.

It was getting late, so he made his way to the man's personal quarters first, expecting to find him there since it was past his usual time to retire. When he got no answer there he started moving again, this time heading directly to Danteeras' office. Thumping hard on the door to alert the man to his presence, he leaned in to listen for a response.

'Come in,' a far more weary voice than usual called out.

Thelbaar pushed the thick door open to find a more disordered office than he had expected. Danteeras was always neat and methodical in his work, yet he had several datapads set out on his desk, various old tomes, and a glass of what looked like Deluukan rum, now half-empty. The man himself sat behind this variety of objects, with his jacket unbuttoned and, oddly, several loose sections of hair hanging about his face. He looked more like one of the many mad souls raving out their last days in the cells beneath the facility than the Atrascan leader, and Thelbaar found it difficult to hide his disgust as he stared, open-mouthed at him.

As if only just realising his state, the supreme commander pushed his hands back over his hair and tucked the errant locks into what binding he could work loose enough to allow them in.

'Thelbaar. I trust you come with news,' he blustered, beginning to button his jacket and rearrange the things on his desk.

'I do, Supreme Commander,' he said, regaining his own composure and dipping his head respectfully. 'I spoke with the Medulsan elder you sent me to question...but unexpectedly, there was also a contingent of soldiers from Atlantis there. They instructed me to return to you immediately with a message.'

Danteeras's jaw dropped a fraction. 'The Atlanteans were there? Then the Medulsans are working in league with them.'

'It would seem that way, yes, Sir,' Thelbaar concurred.

'Well? What was the message, man? Spit it out!'

Danteeras's screech split the air, surprising Thelbaar. Though he was known to be impatient with his lower minions, it was rare he showed such flares in temper to his commanders. It wasn't deemed proper protocol to raise ones voice in that way to someone of considerable rank.

'Rather ironically, Major Lorne was there waiting for us. Perhaps he saw this action as justified considering his own recent abduction. He told us to let you know you can have your men back when we hand over Sheppard. I told him you wouldn't be willing to negotiate –'

'Shut up and get out of my sight! I will make the decisions here,' Danteeras bellowed, thumping his fists onto his desktop.

Thelbaar obeyed without question as he always had, pulling the door shut behind him and remaining there, wondering what had put Danteeras in such an emotional state.

From the corner of his eye he saw movement, and turning toward it he saw Danteeras's assistant peering around a corner. He gestured for her to approach, which she did rather timidly, as if she expected him to explode at her as Danteeras often did.

'Yes, Sir? Is there something I can do for you?' Meeldar asked, like a loyal pet desperate to please her owner.

'How long has the supreme commander been in that state?' he asked.

'Since he received the news of Heernat's disappearance.'

'Heernat? His son?' Thelbaar asked.

'Yes...he was in the party sent to Medulsa to question the locals for Atlantis' address.'

Meeldar hadn't told him who was missing before he'd left on his mission, just that there were three personnel to retrieve. Now, Danteeras's uncharacteristic wildness made sense. Heernat was his father's pride and joy...a self-confident oaf in everyone else's opinion. But if the Atlanteans had him in their grasp it complicated things. He suspected Danteeras's resolve to hold out against them would be severely compromised if his son's welfare was at stake. He wanted to go back into his office and demand the man hold firm and not give Sheppard back to them, but knew his words would be for nothing if Danteeras had made up his mind already.

'Go, girl. Get some rest,' he told her. 'I will stay out here and help Danteeras with anything he needs.'

Visibly relieved to be dismissed, she dipped her head, thanking him profusely before scurrying away down the dim corridor.

The commander's mind raced with anger and frustration. They were close to making a breakthrough in their plans for galactic domination; they had a man capable of activating all the Lantean technology they could ever hope to possess, and now all they need was to extract the address of Atlantis to gain access to a virtual treasure trove of gadgets that could help them repress and subjugate the populations of other planets to make their own lives more bearable. He was tired of living underground. Several months on Medulsa waiting for their target to show had given him a taste for life in the open; fresh air, sunshine, even rain, were all wonders of nature he desperately missed now he was back on Atrasca. Their plan was meant to make them strong enough to face a depleted Wraith army, now destroying each other because their feeding grounds had not had sufficient time to replenish itself since the last great culling. Now everything was in the balance because of one foolish, arrogant man-child.

He couldn't let it all come to nothing.

Changing his plans, he headed to the communications room. If Danteeras couldn't do what it took to keep this cause on track, he would.

oooOOOooo

Rodney took over the comms system for the message Elizabeth wanted to send to Atrasca. He didn't need to, but he was seriously beginning to freak out no Alishia's drink had worn off, so even the simple task of setting up a radio transmission served to distract him from the horrifying images his imagination was firing at him. The member of the control team he'd practically thrown out of the chair didn't look too impressed, standing back and glaring as she did while he worked, but he didn't care. There was a lot more than hurt feelings at stake here – his sanity for a start. He'd been battling with the memory of watching Sheppard flogged back on Medulsa for the past several hours, and he just couldn't acknowledge it anymore.

'Opening a channel now,' he told Weir.

She straightened up and quietly cleared her throat before speaking. 'Planet Atrasca, this is Dr Elizabeth Weir of Atlantis. Please respond.'

For several long seconds they heard a great deal of nothing. Rodney's heart plummeted. They weren't going to answer. They couldn't push their supposed advantage if they wouldn't even talk. He forced out the sound of a whip cracking that invaded his headspace. He really didn't need to hear that.

Thankfully, a moment later, a voice replied. 'Dr Weir, this is planet Atrasca.'

Elizabeth glanced around at Rodney and gave him a fingers crossed gesture. He crossed everything he could.

'I'm sorry, I thought we would be speaking to Supreme Commander Danteeras. Is that Commander Thelbaar again?' she asked, keeping her tone conversational rather than demanding.

'Yes this is Commander Thelbaar of the Atrascan Defence Alliance. Supreme Commander Danteeras has delegated responsibility for these negotiations to me.'

Heernat, who stood alongside her with Ronon's hand resting on the back of his neck, jutted his jaw and smirked. Rodney didn't like the look of that smile; it spoke of a confidence the arrogant little upstart shouldn't be feeling right now.

'I see,' Elizabeth replied, keeping her words non-confrontational. 'I'm a little disappointed not to be speaking to the supreme commander himself, but I'm sure you're more than capable of handling this situation.'

'Yes, I am,' came his flat response.

Heernat's smirk broadened into a full-scale grin at those words. It was rare that Rodney felt like getting into a physical skirmish with anyone, but for this little brat, he would happily make an exception. He'd never met anyone with such an eminently slappable face in his life, and he'd worked with some prime examples of arrogance in his time. Even Kavanagh didn't match this irritating squirt in terms of annoyance levels...although he came a very close second.

'So, am I to understand you're fully versed in the offer we've put on the table?'

'Indeed I am. I was the one your Major Lorne gave the message to.'

An alarm bell went off in Rodney's head the instant he said that, and from the look on Elizabeth face she felt alarmed, too.

'Well, it's good to know I'm speaking to someone who is aware of the situation,' she bluffed, fighting to keep her voice even. 'So what is Danteeras's answer to our terms.'

'The supreme commander refuses to comply with your demands,' he said, simple and straight to the point – no room for manoeuvre.

'I see,' Elizabeth, said again, glancing around at her colleagues gathered there with her. 'Perhaps he needs to understand what is at stake if he refuses to meet this deal. We remain determined to recover our missing officer since he is vital to our operation as well as yours. If Danteeras will not return him to us, we will have to take action to discover his location ourselves.'

There was a pause, and all the time Heernat kept on grinning. Rodney occupied his mind with thoughts of stamping on his stupid smug face...it kept the whip-cracking at bay if nothing else.

'As I have already stated, the supreme commander will not bow to your demands,' Thelbaar reiterated.

It was Elizabeth's turn to pause this time, and she did so to maximum effect. Her next question simply cut through all the nonsense like a flashlight through darkness. 'Does Supreme Commander Danteeras even know we're trying to communicate with him?'

From the hesitation her question met with, it seemed he didn't. 'All communications concerning this matter will be addressed to me, and I consider this matter now closed.'

The communication ended, and Elizabeth dropped her head. 'Seems this won't be as simple as we'd hoped. Apparently Commander Thelbaar doesn't think much of our guest.'

'He's not on his own,' Rodney growled, throwing Heernat his filthiest scowl.

'If he's no good to us, maybe we should just take him up in a jumper and throw him out into space,' Ronon said with his usual amount of non-facial reaction.

'Just send him through the Stargate to a space 'gate,' Rodney huffed in agreement. 'It'll save us some time.'

'Gentlemen, please,' Elizabeth chided, but Rodney could see the amusement twinkling in her eyes as she chastised them. 'We're not quite there yet. Let's take Heernat to one of our cells and let him think about things for a while. I wouldn't like to get rid of him before we allow him an opportunity to change his mind.'

'Indeed. Although, I'm sure a man of his calibre will stand firm no matter what he is threatened with,' Teyla added, joining in on the ruse.

'There's no way you will gain compliance from my father if you kill me,' Heernat suddenly shouted, looking mildly panic-stricken. 'Not that I think you would dare.'

'Oh we'd dare, Heernat,' Elizabeth assured him. 'The only question you need to concern yourself with is how long we'll allow you before we throw you out into the depths of space with our other garbage.'

Rodney snorted his approval. As Elizabeth well knew, all their garbage was either recycled or broken down, but the suggestion added weight to her threat. Letting Heernat think they would just toss him with a pile of other unwanted items could only help him to reconsider offering help.

'Of course, if there were some way of by-passing this Commander Thelbaar, I'm sure your father would be more than happy to strike a deal,' she continued.

'You underestimate him. The cause is the only thing that is important. He'll never give ground to you.'

Rodney remembered how the supreme commander had spoken proudly of his son to Elizabeth during their trip to the lift shaft back on Atrasca. He doubted he would be so ready to allow him to die if that was what he was lead to believe would be the price.

'I'll take him to the cell, see if I can help him with his re-think,' Ronon offered, and they all knew what that meant.

Although Rodney spotted a moment of uneasiness flit across Elizabeth's mask of calm, Heernat was too distracted by the Satedan's glower to notice.

Ronon caught him by the collar and tugged him away, turning back to wink at them as he went. That had to be something he'd picked up from Sheppard. Surely the mighty Satedan army wasn't prone to winking, Rodney mused.

'All right, people. All we can do now is wait...again.'

'If it's all right with you, Elizabeth, I'll go work on that list of off-world sites Ladon gave us. If nothing's forthcoming soon we're gonna need to launch search parties, so I should do some more work on narrowing it down. In fact, if it's okay with you I think I'll contact the Genii and find out which of these planets have drier climates.'

'Good idea, Rodney,' Elizabeth nodded.

'I will keep an eye on proceedings with Ronon,' Teyla offered. 'Just to ensure he does not get carried away.'

'I'd appreciate that,' Elizabeth smiled. 'And I'll go back to...well...waiting.'

Rodney scooted from her office, glad he wasn't Elizabeth at a time like this.

oooOOOooo

Thelbaar marched through the corridors of the Atrascan army's underground base again, this time with a dozen troops hard on his heels. He relished the thought of the task that lay ahead of him, having long thought the supreme commander to be too old to plan their cause any longer.

We he reached the older man's office, he pounded on the door and shoved it open without waiting for an invitation to enter.

Inside, Danteeras slowly stood up, his face even paler than usual as he took in the faces of those gathered before him. 'I take it you have not brought me further news of our missing team,' he said, his voice weak as it barely scraped out of his throat.

'I have news...of sorts. You are to be removed from your position as supreme commander of the Atrascan forces for the foreseeable future. I'm sure you appreciate the situation with your son has left you...compromised. It is better that someone with a clear mind oversees this operation until the matter is resolved.'

'Someone like you, I suppose?' the supreme commander asked unable to mask the bitterness in his words.

'Perhaps...once I have put my name forward and gained the approval of the majority of our people. It shouldn't take long. You know how fickle they can be.'

Danteeras rounded his desk as if his legs struggled to support him, holding onto the polished surface for support. 'How do you plan to deal with the Atlanteans?'

'I do not plan to deal with them at all, as I have already told them while you fretted your time away in here. If your son was foolish enough to get caught by them, then his fate is in their hands.'

'It is only by the grace of Sherooan that you were not captured yourself. How can you be like this?' Danteeras asked him, his expression imploring. Thelbaar had never seen him so...helpless.

'Because what we seek to achieve is greater than the concern for any individual. If Heernat is a true Atrascan he will understand that, as should you,' Thelbaar stated simply.

'And if it were one of your daughters in enemy hands?'

'I would act in just the same way,' he lied. But since his daughters were involved in the developmental science side of their projects, it was unlikely they would ever encounter such problems. Their lives were spent in subterranean labs with the full protection of the Atrascan military surrounding them.

'You cannot do this. He is my only child.'

'He joined the military. He knew the risks of such a position,' Thelbaar charged. 'If you cannot accept that, it seems I have made the correct decision. Please escort Danteeras to his private quarters.'

Two of the troops stepped forward to take hold of his arms, but he shook them off him, determined to walk unassisted. Thelbaar couldn't care how he left as long as he did, so waved them away from the man. Danteeras left without another backward glance.

Once alone, Thelbaar slipped into the supreme commander's seat and made himself comfortable. If all went well, he might soon find this his permanent office, something he was certain he could get used to. He planned to get things moving far quicker than Danteeras had, starting with mobilising his troops serving with the research team on Karafus. Until the Wraith threat had been neutralised, he wanted the Atlantean somewhere safer, perhaps another off-world base where he would be out of the reach of his friends.

Giving it some thought, he leaned back in the chair and put his feet up on the desk. He could certainly get used to an office like this. As far as he was concerned, Danteeras had given him his last order. No one would respect a leader whose position had been undermined. He would alert the peoples of Atrasca of what had happened to Danteeras' idiot son, and by tomorrow overall command would be his.

Just before turning in for the night, Sarayah decided she should check in on Sheppard one last time. Once fully unconscious, they had moved him to her bed in the cave where they could take turns to keep watch over him, and he now lay face down on her bed in a deep and apparently peaceful slumber. She dismissed his current guard a few moments early, giving herself a short time alone with their prisoner before the next soldier on rota arrived.

Parhaadon had treated his wounds and administered medications to both sedate him and counteract any chance of infection, but his complexion still remained waxy and beaded with sweat as she gazed down at him in the lamplight.

With every passing hour of Sheppard's incarceration she found herself wanting to know more about him. The interrogations had forced things from him, nothing useful to the Atrascans, but gems of information that further piqued her fascination in him. He'd been almost delirious toward the end of his punishment, saying things she didn't understand, even begging someone called 'dad' to stop – another painful memory, just like his separation from his wife. It had been an almost childlike plea, and for a moment she'd actually thought he would break down, but once again he'd pulled himself back from the brink and refused to give ground. What was it that drove him on? Why could he never show weakness?

She knelt beside the bed and stroked strands of his hair from his face. His face was devoid of all pain and emotion now, as he rested completely unaware of his surroundings, but this wasn't enough. A need burned within her, a need to see his frustration, his humiliation, a need to hear him scream out his hatred of her as he folded. She needed his strength, and though his current condition was pleasing, it didn't fulfil the deeper-rooted desire to see him begging her for mercy when he'd finally had enough of resisting her.

The fresh, lighter coloured grey shirt they had now dressed him in showed signs of bleeding from the lesser injuries Parhaddon hadn't deemed worthy of a dressing. She wanted to pull the shirt up and examine her handy work, but knowing someone would be coming to take over the watch at any moment, she decided it would be best not to. No, she had just about persuaded Parhaddon she was still on their side after Sheppard's announcement that she didn't care about their mission; it wouldn't do for him to find her salivating over their prisoner after all her hard work.

But tomorrow she would work on the colonel again, press home what the Atrascans wanted him for. Sheppard was too noble to allow himself to be used that way. If she offered him a way out again in his current condition, she felt certain he would agree.

Her eyes drifted to the line running into the back of his hand now, feeding him the vital fluids and medicines he had been so determined to refuse. She supposed this was a victory of sorts, even if she couldn't see his anger at his defeat. He hadn't wanted this, but without it, he would have been a very sick man. She had only gone to the lengths she'd gone to because Parhaadon had assured her he had the necessary treatments to ensure Sheppard would recover, after all.

Allowing herself one moment of contact, she trailed her fingers down his arm, from the toned shoulder beneath the coarse fabric of the shirt, over the soft hairs of his exposed forearm and down to where the large needle had been slipped into the vein on the back of his hand. The position of the metal beneath his soft skin was obvious and gave her a thrill, particularly knowing how much he would detest the fact it was there.

Feeling her needs begin to rule her thinking she backed away, putting enough distance between herself and his prone form to mean she could no longer reach him.

'Commander,' she heard Teelac say from the other side of the screens. 'Parhaadon has suggested I take over the watch. Would you prefer someone else to do it?'

Pushing one of the screens aside, Sarayah beckoned her within their confines. 'You may watch him...but be sure to keep your distance. There will be no impropriety between a member of this army and a prisoner, do you understand?'

The young woman nodded, swallowing hard. 'Yes commander. I...I wouldn't presume to –'

'Be sure you don't. We must keep this professional,' Sarayah snapped back, striding away. She didn't like leaving him in Teelac's care, but to say that might alert Parhaadon to the nature of the feelings she harboured for Sheppard. No, it was better to let the girl play her part. But if she laid as much as one finger on that man...

She walked away, imagining just what she would do if she caught Teelac doing any such thing.

**A/N Yep, Sarayah's getting creepier by the minute. Let's hope the Atlantis folk can make Heernet give them something useful. Thanks again to everyone for reading! :D**


	23. Chapter 23

When morning came, Sheppard gradually woke to the relatively pleasant surroundings of the dreary cave, though the insipid yellow lighting did little for his general state of nausea and light-headedness. The fact he was face down on a stinking pillow didn't improve matters much, and he fought against the urge to retch, knowing that would cause more pain than he could deal with.

It took him several long moments to pluck up the courage to move, but when he did lift his head, he found the pain in his back much reduced and his dizziness within what he considered bearable parameters. What he wasn't quite so happy about was the drip in the back of his left hand, still feeding their filthy drugs into him. He reached over to try to tug it out, but a thick-fingered, callused hand caught hold of his and guided it away.

'Sorry, but my life wouldn't be worth living if I let you do that before Parhaadon says you're ready. He's stopped the sedatives, but you still need the other stuff. '

Sheppard recognised the gravelly voice without looking to see who had hold of him. Of all the people who could be sitting there with him, Solvaat was probably the one he trusted most right now. He let his hand fall back to the bed.

'You look better this morning,' Solvaat told him. 'When they brought you in here last night I wasn't sure you would pull through. Just shows what fluids and some medication can do for you. I guess Parhaadon knows what he's doing, after all.'

'Great,' Sheppard snorted. 'So, I'm all fixed up for another ass-kicking?'

'Maybe she'll get tired of it soon.'

Sheppard lifted his head to peer at him over his shoulder. 'You don't know her very well yet, do you?'

'Oh, I think I have the measure of that one,' Solvaat assured him with a knowing smile. 'You don't get to be as old as me without learning a thing or two about people. She is all about control. She manipulates others to do her will. Danteeras and Parhaadon have been drawn in by, well, let's just say, "offers they couldn't refuse". The rest of us she can give orders to. But _you_...you she has no control over. You have information she needs – she wants to break you.'

Solvaat was a lot smarter than Sheppard had given him credit for; he made a mental note to himself that he really had to stop with the whole judging books by covers thing. But even he hadn't quite grasped the depths of Sarayah's need to break him. The information didn't matter to her; the interrogation was just a means to an end. She wanted something quite different from him. What had started as a battle of wills had become some kind of sick obsession, one he wasn't equipped to deal with.

'Where is she?' he asked.

'Outside, getting some breakfast with Parhaadon.'

'Ah, and no doubt cooking up their next evil scheme,' Sheppard huffed, dropping his head back down to the fetid cushioning beneath him. The pillow felt uncomfortably lumpy and he slid his hand inside the cover to try and smooth it out, finding his jacket stuffed in there with the pillow itself. She was sleeping with his jacket? He tried to think of any rational or security based reason why she would be doing that, but came up empty. He knew the truth. She wanted it because it reminded her of him. This situation was getting creepier by the minute. He wanted out. He wanted out _now._

Although he saw it, too, Solvaat didn't react to Sheppard's find other than to arch an eyebrow. Instead, he unscrewed the lid of his water flask and offered it to Sheppard. 'Here, drink quickly.'

Sheppard tried to reach out for it, but the movement was a little too tricky for him. Seeing his struggle, Solvaat squatted down and held the flask for him while he savoured the sensation of a decent amount of liquid going down his throat for the first time in what felt like an age. Psychologically it gave him a boost, even though he suspected the medicine currently going in through his IV line was doing him far more good.

When the flask was empty, Solvaat abruptly snatched it away, and Sheppard realised why when he heard footsteps approaching. He figured he knew who they belonged to because they sounded too heavy to be Sarayah's.

'Ah, good. He's awake,' Parhaadon said, lifting Sheppard's head by a fistful of his hair. 'And looking far more alert, too. I think we can remove this then...at least for now.'

He tugged out the needle in the back of Sheppard's hand with all the care and delicacy he would have expected from a farm labourer. That wasn't much of a surprise. He'd saved his life, so probably figured Sheppard owed him already.

That done, he pulled Sheppard up into a sitting position far quicker than he would have attempted it himself. Thankfully, the pain really was somehow distant, as if he were several days into the healing process rather than several hours. Whatever meds Parhaadon had given him were even better than Carson's good stuff, and the colonel was relieved the man had relented on the lie about not having anything useful to treat him with.

'Sarayah wants to see you. On your feet,' Parhaadon insisted, grabbing his arms tightly just above the elbow and hauling him up and out into the brightening daylight.

Sarayah stood beside the campfire, her jacket hanging open as it wasn't yet warm enough to shed it. This morning, her hair was only tied back in a loose ponytail, and already it was beginning to take on the former wildness he remembered in his nightmares about their first meeting.

'Good morning, Sheppard. I trust you slept well?' she called to him.

He didn't even deign to give her an answer. She already knew he'd had no choice in the matter. Instead, he glared sullenly at her; he was still pissed about the little ploy the two of them had tried to draw him into, so was hardly in the mood for idle chatter.

'Breakfast?' she offered, ladling more of their version of porridge into a bowl and holding it out toward him.

His stomach growled, but he shook his head. Much as it was tempting, he doubted it would taste anywhere near as good when it came back up later, as it undoubtedly would once she got her hands on him again.

'Your loss,' she shrugged, pulling out the scoop and eating it herself.

'We want you to understand that what happened yesterday wasn't personal, Sheppard,' Parhaadon smirked, picking up another bowl and helping himself to a portion of the lumpy cereal mixture. 'Our mission is very important to us, but no one wants to see you get hurt. If you would just give us a way to contact Dr McKay, there would be no need for you to take any further punishment.'

Sheppard slid his gaze in Sarayah's direction, catching sight of the evil glint in her eyes before she turned to face the fire and ate more breakfast. 'Sure you don't,' he grunted.

'I don't enjoy hurting you,' Sarayah told him, looking back over her shoulder.

'Yeah. 'Cos it really goes against your nature, doesn't it?' he quipped, his gaze as icy and piercing as he could successfully muster while wondering what she had in store for him next.

She chuckled, turning away to finish the contents of her bowl. He shifted his gaze to Parhaadon instead. 'So, what evil deeds have you two been brewing up out here while I "slept"?' he asked. 'Am I well enough for the sonic pulse or the trippy drugs today?'

'Neither,' Parhaadon told him, setting down his bowl and stoking up the fire with a long poker. When he'd finished pushing the logs around until they were all alight, he pulled it out and examined the glowing point. 'We can't give you any more drugs as they will react with the medications we gave you last night, and, considering everything you've been through, direct sonic disruption to your organs might prove too much for the next day or so. We're going to have to think of something else.'

'Sorry to be so _problematic,'_ Sheppard sneered, though he really didn't like the way he was gazing at that poker. There wasn't much call to look so closely at something designed to prod logs into their optimum burning positions. The metal glowed deep orange, and the air around it rippled with heat distortion. It was damned hot, that was for sure. Parhaadon shoved it back into the crisped wood at the bottom of the fire and kept it there a while.

His heart now thumping a little harder, Sheppard casually wondered how long the pain meds he'd been given would take to wear off. No point in torturing him before that, right? That might leave time for a rescue.

'How are your legs feeling?' Sarayah suddenly called over to him.

They actually felt surprisingly sturdy beneath him, but he had to wonder why she wanted to know. He quirked an eyebrow and waiting for her to expand on her question.

'I thought you might want to get cleaned up. We need to walk to the waterhole.'

Get cleaned up? Was she for real? Yesterday they'd tortured the crap out of him. Now, she was behaving like they were all out here on some kind of friendly camping trip.

She snatched up a sack from beside the fire and then moved to catch hold of him. He avoided the contact, giving her a warning look. 'I can walk by myself,' he growled.

'If you wish,' she said, striding out. 'Come on, then.'

He looked about him. No one else was moving.

Realising he wasn't walking with her, Sarayah stopped and glared back at him. 'What are you waiting for, Sheppard? Get moving.'

'Isn't anyone else coming?' he asked, pissed at himself that he sounded so worried.

'The first shift is already there. Now move those feet,' she ordered.

He did so...reluctantly. The smile on Parhaadon's face told him he had something to worry about, even if the situation weren't already screaming that he should be running in the opposite direction. Not that there was any point. He was trapped within the confines of the perimeter, so had no hope of putting enough distance between himself and his captors to actually evade them. And, of course, there was the small fact of Sarayah's disturbing speed, a fact he'd been reminded of only too well yesterday.

He walked past her, feeling her eyes burn into him as he passed, but then he didn't look back again. He could remember the way to the oasis without her help, so he had no need to wait for directions, preferring to keep his eyes on the trees and vegetation around him, on the lookout for more Iratus bugs. Getting one of those latched onto his jugular right now would certainly cap the experience nicely.

When he entered the clearing encircling the waterhole, he wasn't at all surprised to find no one else there. Sarayah and her partner in crime were becoming nothing if not predictable in their deceit. He stopped and stared down into the water, not even motivated enough to voice his disgust that they thought they could play him like this yet again.

'On your knees, Sheppard,' Sarayah ordered.

Though he felt like telling her exactly where she could shove that order, he got down and waited to see what came next. He wasn't exactly in a position to complain, and even though he currently felt vastly better than he'd felt last night in that hot house prison, he could feel his former weakness sapping the strength from his limbs already.

'Hands behind your back,' she told him.

He rolled his eyes, which she thankfully didn't see, then heard the snap of her meat-slicing restraints clipping in place. Just what he needed, but at least they'd seen fit to redress his wrists so they didn't bite into the damaged skin beneath his bandages.

'I trust I don't have to restrain those legs of yours since there's no way you can outrun me in your current condition,' she said, planting herself in front of him. 'Of course, if you want to try it again, I'm not averse to taking another tumble with you...'

Though the urge to roll his eyes again was almost overwhelming, he settled for a cold, bemused stare. It said everything he couldn't quite put into words.

Rummaging through the bag she'd brought with her, she pulled out a soap capsule and a drying cloth, then dipped her hands into the water, scooping some up and splashing it onto his face, predominantly his chin and neck. After that, she lathered up the soap pellet between her palms and spread the foaming result in the same area, making his raw skin sting.

The realisation she planned to shave him wasn't one Sheppard welcomed. Shaving was…personal…required physical contact – close contact – not to mention a sharp implement. Perhaps the torture hadn't been so bad after all.

She slid what amounted to a cutthroat razor out from her belt and opened it up in front of him so he could get a clear look at it. The sight of it sobered him up from his mental cursings. He figured it was time to behave for a while…at least until she was finished.

'You'll have noticed I lied to you about others being here,' she said, sliding her fingers under his chin and lifting his face toward hers. 'That's because I wanted to speak to you alone.'

She slid the sharp blade down the plane of his right cheek with a kind of confidence that suggested his wasn't the first face she'd shaved...either that or she didn't give a damn if she cut him or not...that was a distinct possibility.

'I wanted to give you the opportunity to rethink my offer of escape,' she told him, shaking the blade clean and scraping another patch alongside that one, then tracing the path it had cut through the foam with her fingers.

Sheppard snorted out a laugh and shook his head as she flicked the blade clean again.

'What is so funny?' she demanded.

'The fact you think of that as an escape…and the fact I'm even considering it,' he mumbled, his chin dropping.

She forced it back up again. 'You are?'

Much as he hated to admit it, he really was. 'I would if I knew I could trust you to get me away from these people, but after yesterday...'

'I meant it, Sheppard,' she told him, sounding just the wrong side of desperate. It seemed she realised it to, as she quickly composed her eager expression and got back to the task of shaving away his facial growth.

'Is this really necessary?' he asked, wincing as she nicked his jaw while he spoke.

'Keep still or I'll slice you to ribbons,' she snapped, then began the process again, even more carefully. 'I told Parhaadon I was bringing you out here to clean you up and...well...that I was going to try to seduce you into giving me the address he needs in the process. He knows I prefer clean-shaven men,' she told him, matter-of-fact.

Sheppard blinked back at her, but couldn't even think of one witty response to that.

'I have to keep up the pretence in case he is watching. He won't come close enough to hear, but voyeurism isn't beyond him.' She stooped then to kiss him, but he snatched his head away.

'Just keeping up my side of the _pretence_,' he explained with a crooked smile. 'Wouldn't want to look too eager.'

She pouted and continued her work in silence for a moment, her eyes focused on his jaw line as she stroked along it to check it was smooth.

He felt his face heating up under the intensity of her stare. This woman was way too obvious for him. If he thought about it, he kind of liked to do the chasing in relationships...to have control of what happened, and at what pace. _Control_. Solvaat had said Sarayah was all about control. Was she just the same as him – a damaged soul looking for some way to make herself feel better? No, they weren't alike. His control never included hurting people to get his way. Refusing to waste any more of his time on that thought, he forced it away. Damaged soul or not, she had no right to take it out of his hide like this.

Shaving his neck proved a far more precarious process with the added complication of bruising and scrapes from his earlier escapades. She got down on one knee to be more on a level with him as she worked, and it almost seemed like she was trying not to hurt him. Weird considering that usually seemed to be her sole aim in life.

'So, John. What do you think?' she suddenly asked, disturbing his thoughts.

'I think my friends call me John, so I'd prefer it if you didn't,' he said through clenched teeth as the blade scraped across his older injuries.

Frowning in concentration, she didn't reply straight away, but when she did it really wasn't what he wanted to hear. 'Ah...well...you may have to reconsider your stance on that,' she said, 'because one of the conditions of my helping you to escape is that you and I...well...we become..._friends_.'

She leaned back and locked her eyes onto his, and he just stared back at her, completely at a loss for words; he knew _friends _was more than likely a euphemism for something far more unsavoury. While he allowed her words to echo around in his screaming brain a while longer, she turned and dipped a cloth in the water, then began to sponge his face clean.

'I was expecting you to yell at me, tell me where I could go with my suggestion or something like that,' she confessed, still holding his gaze.

'What do you want from me?' he asked, finally voicing a question that had been begging to be asked since their first encounter.

'Everything,' she breathed, grasping the back of his head and pulling his lips down to hers. He didn't reciprocate, though, fixing his mouth shut in time to prevent any real intimacy.

She pulled back, an all too familiar anger darkening her face. 'Am I really so repulsive to you?'

'I don't think you honestly want me to answer that,' he said flatly, sucking at the blood now oozing from the split she'd re-opened on his lip.

'I suppose if I was more like _Nancy _you'd be falling over yourself to gain my affections,' she growled, emphasising her name and touching what she quite clearly knew would be a raw nerve.

'_You_ do not talk to _me_ about _her._ Not ever,' he snapped, his face flushing again. He was fighting to keep his emotions in, but the flashes of memory of the trick she'd pulled on him in the cave while pretending to be Nancy forced themselves to the forefront of his memory over and over again, fuelling his anger.

'What's the point in holding onto all those feelings for her, John? She doesn't want you. She has another man, now. You're living in the past!'

'Shut up,' he growled, balling his hands into fists and dropping his gaze to the floor in the hope she would find him less confrontational that way and drop the subject.

'Is she pretty, this _Nancy_? Does she smell good and look sweet, and wear her hair down just the way you like it?'

He closed his eyes, but it didn't shut out the images forcing their way forward now – images of his ex-wife morphing into Sarayah and back again as if he were still drugged. 'Nancy and I parted years ago. I don't know or care what she does,' he lied.

She laughed and the sound went right through him, just like nails on a chalkboard or a chair being dragged across a floor. He wished his hands were loose so he could throttle her into silence. 'Shut up,' he repeated, trying not to think of the way Nancy smelled, they way she'd felt in his arms, the pretty way she'd laughed, the way she had been waiting just inside the door one night when he'd got home, with her suitcase standing beside her, tears in her eyes, and that famous line, 'It's not you...it's me.' _Yeah, right!_

Sarayah stopped talking and watched him with mounting fascination, evidently enjoying the effect merely mentioning Nancy had on him. Not that this was normal for him. It was that damned hallucination they'd put him through. It had dredged up old feelings best left buried, evoked a response from him he'd never intended to share with her. He felt his eyes begin to sting with tears of sheer frustration, but absolutely refused to let the emotion surface. Nancy had hurt him more than anyone else in his life.

_Stop crying, you little faggot._

Okay, maybe not more than everyone. No wonder his dad had said marrying Nancy was the best thing he'd ever done. It meant no one would thing he was the "faggot" his father thought he was. Their marriage had saved the family name from a disgrace his father had no doubt worried about since that encounter with Senator Laurel.

'If you come with me, they will have no one to press for Atlantis' address. Surely that means something to you?' Sarayah coaxed, he voice now more gentle.

God, this woman really knew how to press his buttons. He wanted to tell her no, no way, but Parhaadon was waiting back at camp for him with a searing hot poker and a gleam in his eye, and tough as he was, Sheppard wasn't sure he was willing to go back and face that when there was another option. Another option that would get him outside of the perimeter. Another option that meant all he had to do was beat Sarayah rather than Sarayah plus a dozen or more troops. Although, there was a hungry Wraith to contend with out there...but he suspected that thing would seem pretty tame now compared to the mad bitch currently standing in front of him.

Suddenly, playing defeated didn't seem such a bad idea. He lifted his eyes to hers, affecting his best hangdog expression. 'All right. If it means Atlantis stays safe, I'll leave with you,' he agreed.

Her face lit up. 'Good choice. I just know you and I are going to get along fine once we've had some time alone together.'

Trying not to look quite as creeped out as that made him feel, Sheppard, kept his reaction muted. 'Just...don't expect this whole friends thing to happen overnight. Okay?'

'I can be patient,' she promised him, her grin more ferocious than friendly.

Unable to muster a smile in return, he hoped he'd made the right call.

* * *

**A/N So now Sheppard has to rely on Sarayah as part of his bid to escape. That can't be good! Once again, thanks to everyone reading and reviewing. It's very much appreciated. :D**


	24. Chapter 24

Rodney would have been justifiable pissed with the fact Ronon sent his laptop flying off his workstation if it hadn't been for the words he grunted at the same time.

'Heernat wants to talk to his daddy.'

Still startled by the sudden disappearance of his work as the Atrascan's torso was introduced to his desk, Rodney mouthed like a fish out of water for a few more seconds before the significance of Ronon's words sank through his layers of mortification.

'Oh...he does, does he?' McKay blustered. 'Well...that's...that's good. And how exactly can we do that when we can't get past Commander "Everything has to go through me", huh?'

'Heernat claims not to know Sheppard's whereabouts, but he will help us talk direct to Danteeras,' Elizabeth said, stepping out from behind the huge Satedan. Rodney hadn't even know she was there, and almost jumped out of his skin all over again. 'Turns out they have some kind of private channel to each other back on Atrasca. One only they communicate on to keep each other up to date on anything that might prove useful in their careers. Nepotism at its finest.'

'Oh...right...well that does make a difference,' McKay agreed, picking his computer up from the floor and rolling his eyes at the obvious damage to the screen, which now looked more crazy paved than anti-reflective. 'Oh now would you look at that! That is just impossible to use now!'

'But Heernat needs to speak to his daddy,' Ronon reminded him, his lips pulling back in an angry grimace as Heernat struggled to get more comfortable on the hard worktop.

'Yes, yes of course. So, we'll need to go back through the 'gate to Atrasca.'

'We're going...you're not,' Ronon told him, letting the struggling youth up before his back snapped.

Feeling rejected, Rodney manage to pull together a monosyllabic, 'What? Why?'

'Because the Atrascans are after you, Rodney. Major Lorne's volunteered to fly the jumper through with a small team, but he's the only person with the Ancient gene I'm allowing through. That way, even if they get caught, they still wouldn't have anyone to fix the Ancient tech they've been collecting,' Elizabeth told him.

'Oh, yes. I see your point,' he said, then he frowned. 'So why, exactly, did you throw that thing across my desk and break my computer if I'm not even going on this mission?' he demanded, waving a dismissive hand in Heernat's direction.

'I'm not –'

Ronon threw Heernat a death glare and the Atrascan immediately shut up. It seemed a few hours in Ronon's company had him well trained.

'We need you to work your science mumbo jumbo on the jumper radio,' the Satedan explained. 'We can't put a message through their radio system because they'd probably be able to locate us, cloaked or not. We have to channel the message via the jumper somehow. Can you do that?'

A zillion calculations and possible methods of rerouting the communications circuitry flew through McKay's brain. 'Well, yes. I think so. That is, I can do what I can based on the radios we picked up from the Atrascans, but I can't absolutely guarantee it'll work. There's a lot of variables I can't factor in, different things that could cause interference on the planet's surface. Without being there with you to adjust for any anomalies, I can't give a definite yes.'

'If you set up the radio, could you brief Dr Zelenka on how to adjust things should it not work?' Elizabeth asked.

'Well, yes, but if you send him out there, you might as well send me,' Rodney pointed out. 'Admittedly, his knowledge of Ancient tech is nowhere near as extensive as mine...but he can carry out repairs to malfunctioning systems with his eyes closed.'

'You're right...no scientists,' Elizabeth agreed. 'Well, we'll just have to hope it works, Rodney. If it doesn't, perhaps you can talk Major Lorne through any necessary adjustments.'

'Oh yes, Elizabeth. Because it's just that simple,' he sputtered.

'Well, find a way to make it that simple, Rodney, because I am not prepared to risk losing you or any of the rest of our scientists to those people. That would give them the ammunition they need to access Ancient technologies and, in so doing, become a major threat to us and every other human population in this galaxy.'

Rodney shrunk under Elizabeth's intense gaze. He knew she was right, and if he did the majority of the work here in the safety of Atlantis, there was no reason he couldn't talk Lorne through a few tweaks should anything go wrong. It was time to stop building up his part for once and let someone else do the work.

'Just gimme and hour or so and I should have it set up for you,' Rodney muttered, his eyes darting nervously from one to the other of them.

'Thank you, Rodney. Let us know once it's done.'

Elizabeth turned to leave, Ronon pushing Heernat along behind her.

'Hold up, Ronon,' he called. 'I'm going to need laughing boy with me in the jumper so I can pick his brains.'

Ronon stopped and grabbed the collar of Heernat's jacket to stop him, too. 'Then I guess I'll be coming, too.'

'I guess so,' Rodney said, flicking him a tight smile before beginning to gather up all the things he would need to carry out the task. 'Lead the way.'

oooOOOooo

The sun was still nowhere near at its height and it was already becoming uncomfortably hot. Some kind of bird like creatures flew in lazy circles above their heads, reminding Sheppard of the way vultures circles their prey, just waiting for them to drop. The ground around was largely sandy and barren, only the vaguest hint of long dead trees jutted up amid great swathes of flat, stony ground, suggesting the planet had once enjoyed a more balanced and hydrated ecology.

After listening in to the chatter back at camp via her radio, Sarayah had ascertained Parhaadon wasn't watching them after all and they were able to make their bid for freedom...not that he could really call it that.

Sarayah had stripped off her jacket and tied it around her waist, used to having the hot sun beating on her tanned shoulders since Medulsa's climate was so similar. Every now and again, Sheppard would hear a crackle and muffled voices through her radio, but as he got hotter, and his pain meds began to wear off, the distance between the two of them increased to the point that he could no longer discern what they were saying.

Up ahead, there were some tall rock faces, and he hoped to God she didn't expect him to climb because they were headed straight for them.

Glancing back over her shoulder, she appeared to notice his struggle and stopped to wait for him to make up the ground she had already cleared with ease. 'Not much further now,' she told him by way of encouragement. 'There is a cave up ahead where you can rest and take some water.'

''Bout time,' he grunted, trudging heavy-legged and weary behind her as she set off again. She hadn't taken off his restraints, understandably, but it made walking across that uneven ground that much trickier. Odd how much you relied on your arms for balance without even realising it.

'We needed to keep moving to this point. It is the first possible hide out in this direction. We will need to stay here through the duration of the sun's hottest hours or you will burn.'

'Oh, so now you're worried about me getting hurt,' he scoffed, stumbling a little as he allowed his concentration to slip. His left knee thudded to the ground and he cursed, thankful that at least he hadn't gone straight down on his nose.

Sarayah stopped to help him up, then strode away again, confident he would follow as there was nothing else he could do...other than head off across flat, desolate land and wait for her to shoot him and drag him back again.

'Can we afford to stop?' he asked. 'Won't Parhaadon figure out we're missing and come looking for us soon.'

'Not just yet,' she smirked. 'I told him I thought you might take a lot of persuasion. He won't grow concerned for hours yet.'

'Oh...great!' he said with a wince. The thought of what Parhaadon imagined they were up to left him sickened, but right now he needed to keep Sarayah onside, so he kept his reaction to just that.

Gradually, the dark maw of the cave in the rock face revealed itself, and though normally the idea of sharing a cramped and gloomy recess with his increasingly insane stalker would have filled him with dread, right now, all he could think of was taking the weight off his legs. The drugs were beginning to wear off and each jolting footfall now reminded him just how badly scourged his back was.

At the edge of the opening, Sarayah stood back and waited for him to catch up to her, pulling out a lamp and gesturing for him to pass.

'Is that so any bugs lurking in there will latch onto me first?' he quipped, but in truth, it wasn't a joke. His eyes searched the shadows her lamp failed to illuminate, and his skin crawled with expectation. Vague memories of the cave he'd entered when looking for a sample of Iratus eggs to take back to Atlantis surfaced – the time when he'd almost converted to a bug himself – and he knew this was exactly the kind of place they would colonise.

'You worry too much about those things,' she grunted, practically shouldering him aside. 'If you keep your wits about you, they are easily avoided. Besides, they are only found near the waterholes. That's where the indigenous animal life of this planet congregate, so that is where they hunt. The caves are safe.'

'Yeah, well, you'll excuse me if I want to check the place out to reassure myself anyway,' he said, ducking as a bat like creature suddenly swooped down low and skimmed his hair.

Both he and Sarayah exchanged a glance – his accusatory, hers apparently apologetic – and from that moment on she helped him to check out all the nearby nooks and niches. When finally satisfied he wasn't about to be pounced upon, at least not by an Iratus bug, the colonel conceded to sit down and rest.

The air inside the shady recess was pleasingly cool, especially considering the heat that was building again in his abused skin. Having his arms pulled back behind him wasn't helping since it made the damaged area between his shoulder blades pucker and press in on itself. Worse than that, he really needed a toilet break. He hadn't even thought of that when he'd decided on taking Sarayah up on her offer.

Surprisingly, Sarayah moved behind him and unlocked his cuffs, removing them to free his hands. The relief in his back was instant, although not complete, and as she walked away and sat down opposite him, he watched her dubiously, wondering why she was being so generous.

Dipping into her bag, Sarayah pulled out something resembling beef jerky and handed him a piece. 'Eat that. You need to keep up some strength if we're going to make it to the Ancestral Ring.'

He was famished, so took it from her, sniffing it before having a taste. He wished he hadn't because the smell was so pungent it put him right off. Still, he knew he did need something in his stomach if he was going to try to make a break for it at some point, so he blocked the smell from his mind and started chewing. That piece eaten, she offered him a water flask. 'Do not drink it all in one go. It has to last until we find another waterhole, and we are quite some distance from the next one.

He nodded in acknowledgement and sipped a few mouthfuls, just enough to rid him of the taste of the meal. That was until she passed him another piece. He inverted his sigh and took it again, forcing it down followed up by a few more sips of purging water.

Messages came and went on her radio as they ate, and Sheppard realised she was scanning for information regarding them. Eventually her patience was rewarded when he heard Parhaadon's voice speak to some of the troops. _'Teelac, has Sarayah passed you on the way back to camp yet?'_

When the voice replied, he recognised it as Teelac's. 'No, Sir. I suppose the prisoner must be taking some considerable persuasion.'

Sheppard winced at the insinuation behind those words. There really was no comfortable way to listen to that when sitting alone with this woman. He allowed his gaze to flick up in her direction, but thankfully, she was concentrating too hard on the radio chatter to notice.

'_That's enough of that, Teelac,'_ he heard Parhaadon snap. _'Give it five more minutes and then I want you to make contact with her.'_

'_Yes, Sir.'_

Sarayah smirked as she listened, adding, 'Parhaadon grows jealous of the attention I pay you.'

That was really not a conversation he wanted to get into. Instead, he peaked under his wrist dressings, seeing the additional scabbed over lacerations from his flogging session. At least they looked clean.

Having had more to drink, his need for that toilet break grew steadily more urgent. Knowing it wasn't going to just magically go away, and having no desire to pee in his pants where he sat, Sheppard took the proverbial bull by the horns.

'Uhm...I really need to, uhm, you know?' he stammered. _Oh yeah, John, way to grab that bull!_

Frowning over at him while half-listening to the Atrascan babble, she clearly had no idea what he was attempting to say.

'I need to...take a leak.'

She tilted her head a little as if trying to fathom him out.

'Answer the call of nature,' he tried, adding a pained expression.

At last, it sank in. 'Oh, you wish to urinate,' she said bluntly.

'Yeeaaah,' he said. 'Wish I'd thought of saying it that way.'

'Come, then,' she said, standing. He looked up at her in horror. No, this really wasn't what he'd had in mind.

'Er...I know you have this whole you want us to be friends thing going, but I don't even do that in front of my best friends. Just gimme a minute, okay?'

She squinted at him suspiciously, trying to weigh up his words.

'It's just a little hang-up of mine. C'mon, it's not like I'm gonna run. Where would I go?'

She pouted while she considered his request, then completely surprised him by agreeing. 'Very well. Give me your watch.'

'My watch. Why?'

'You said to give you a minute. Your watch measures time increments doesn't it?'

He hadn't meant that quite so literally, but, thankful she was at least agreeing to his request, he unstrapped his watch and set it so it would time for one minute. He held it out to her and told her how to work it, then set off out of the cave to do his business in privacy.

The alarm started beeping just as he was zipping himself back in. He thanked whoever was watching over him for small mercies and headed back to the cave mouth, almost colliding with her as she was on her way to look for him.

She actually managed something resembling a genuine smile. 'I wasn't sure I could trust you.'

'Yeah, well, don't get thinking this means you've got me beat. It just worked out in my best interests this time,' he replied, walking on past her.

They hid out some more from the heat of the midday sun, Sheppard all the time keeping one eye on the entrance, constantly wondering if they were about to become Wraith fodder. Sarayah didn't seem at all troubled by such thoughts. He supposed it was a big planet. And since the crashed Wraith Hive Ship lay in the opposite direction, the chances were he would remain close to that where he felt more empowered...unless he'd seen them leave the camp...

'_Parhaadon, we've received a communication from Commander Thelbaar.'_ Those were Solvaat's gritty tones. He would recognise them anywhere.

'_What is it?'_ Parhaadon responded.

'_He says Supreme Commander Danteeras's position has been compromised by the kidnapping of his son, so he has taken over command of all operations.'_

The way Sarayah's head snapped around in his direction at that news told him she thought exactly the same thing he did; Atlantis had made a move.

'_I see. And what are his instructions?'_

'_Due to the continuing Wraith threat, he wants us to take the prisoner back through the ring to Atrasca until the extermination squad has rid us of the problem.'_

'_Very well. I will try to raise Sarayah and let her know of the change of plans. Sarayah, Sarayah, please respond.' _

Her only response was to turn off the radio. 'You made your choice at just the right time, John. If you'd delayed any longer, you'd be on your way to Atrasca right now. We have to get moving now. They'll be looking for us.'

'All the more reason to sit tight, right?' he offered. 'They won't find us in here.'

'This is the first hiding place on the way to the ring, Sheppard. They will check it out for sure. We don't have all that much of a head start, and since they have a truck, we need to move – now.'

She began searching through her bag again, and as she did so he caught sight of something that made his heart stop momentarily. Several small bottles of liquid clinked against one another like a discordant wind chime – bottles that looked very much like the ones containing the draught she'd used to drug him back on Medulsa. He wasn't surprised to learn she planned to employ some help if he took too long to come round to her way of thinking, but it pissed him off all the same. So much for being patient.

With his mind racing for a way out, she suddenly thrust her hand out toward him. 'Here, take some of these.'

Cautiously taking the small black canister she'd presented to him, he opened it up to find it full of pills. 'What exactly are they?' he asked, suspicious of her motives.

'Painkillers. Mild ones that won't make you drowsy since I have no intention of hauling your carcass to the ring. And neither will they kill you pain enough to make you a threat to me. Now, come on. We don't have much time to waste.'

He realised to have any hope of continuing this journey and eventually making a break for it, he needed all the help he could get. He tipped a couple out into his palm and dry swallowed them, feeling them scrape past his bruising in his throat on their way down.

'Now kneel down so I can check the dressings on your back,' she ordered. 'The last thing we need is for you to develop an infection.'

'Well, I'll know who to thank if I do,' Sheppard muttered. He trudged over to her and knelt, positioning himself so his hand hung straight beside the open bag she'd left lying on the cave floor. She pushed up the back of his shirt and told him to hold it out of the way, which he did by reaching his left hand over his shoulder. His right hand, however, slipped inside the neck of her bag as she remained engrossed in her work. While she became immersed in the task of peeling back various dressings, Sheppard made enough pained noises to keep her satisfied as his hand felt its way through the contents of the sack. Eventually, his fingertips made contact with what felt like a cold glass vial, so he palmed it and let his hand fall back at his side.

A few more rips and yelps later, Sarayah had satisfied herself he wasn't about to die of blood loss or infection, and let his shirt fall back into place.

'Right. Come now. On your feet,' she said, pulling the restraints from her belt where she had tucked them again.

Thinking fast, Sheppard said, 'You know, I can move a lot quicker without my arms restrained. Worrying about falling on my face tends to slow me down.'

She eyed him dubiously, but it seemed his honesty and compliance thus far had done him a favour, because she put them away again, and pulled out her gun instead. 'All right. Like you said. It's not like there's anywhere you can run before I could stop you.'

'Exactly.'

She jabbed her gun toward the opening. 'Out.' Seemed she wanted to keep him in her sights if she couldn't use the restraints.

Sheppard obeyed her command, glad for her over-confidence and figuring he could keep her sweet and build her trust in him until the moment was right to make his move. Hard as it might be, he could be a "good boy" – just for a while.


	25. Chapter 25

Lorne cloaked the vessel as they emerged on the Atrascan side, and steered the jumper in the direction of the underground compound. Teyla sat beside him, reciting old Athosian meditation chants over in her mind to calm herself, while Ronon and Heernat sat in the two seats behind, a brooding tension hanging between them that threatened to erupt at any moment. Hopefully the information Heernat had provided to them under duress would prove accurate, because John had been away from them for too long now. She wanted him back safely among them and away from the sadistic Medulsan the Atrascans had accepted into their numbers.

The major kept them high enough that they didn't stir up a breeze as they passed over the villagers on the surface, nor did the troops heading out toward the 'gate in their tank like truck notice them, either. They headed toward their target unnoticed, something that would make the task ahead of them that much easier to complete.

Though she tried hard to centre herself, Teyla could feel the Atrascan literally seething behind her, and the Satedan in the chair beside him felt like a coiled spring, ready to pounce. It was hard to concentrate on her breathing with so much testosterone brimming over, waiting for an excuse to unleash itself, but she continued in her efforts. Anger, although sometimes a useful emotion, was unlikely to get them anywhere at this particular time. She had to remain in control.

They had travelled to Atrasca with what was deemed the smallest possible team. Lorne had volunteered to fly the jumper, Ronon, of course, had insisted he accompany Heernat because they had apparently reached an "understanding"...Teyla took that to mean Heernat understood Ronon would come down hard on him if he tried anything foolish. Teyla was officially there to help Ronon control Heernat should he make any kind of attempt to take over the vessel, but Elizabeth had taken her aside and asked that she keep Ronon on a tight leash. After an explanation of what a leash was, she had agreed to do so; she was used to the role by now.

'All right. We're within range according to Dr McKay's calculations. Now we find out if that frequency was right or not.'

Teyla watched him activate the radio, the tension she had been fighting off all morning now mounting again.

'Supreme Commander Danteeras, this is Major Evan Lorne of Atlantis, please respond.'

The silence his request met with didn't give Teyla much hope. It seemed to stretch out for an age and deepen in intensity until it felt like a fifth presence alongside them.

'Supreme Commander Danteeras, this is Major Evan Lorne of Atlantis, please respond,' the major repeated, the change in pitch reflection his growing annoyance.

Teyla turned around and looked at Heernat, wondering if he had been foolhardy enough to try to dupe them, and knowing he would soon regret the smirk he now wore. A moment later, Ronon's hand grabbed his throat. 'It isn't working. Tell us the real frequency or I'll wipe that smile right off your stupid smug face.'

'I gave you the right information. Maybe he doesn't have access to a radio anymore. He has been overthrown after all.'

Ronon growled, and Teyla was about to intervene when a voice came through on their radio. 'Major Lorne. This is Danteeras. Do you have word of my son?'

Heernat's face dropped, and Ronon's broke out into a fierce grin. 'Lucky for you he's home.'

'We do indeed,' Lorne replied. 'He's right here with us.'

'Thank Sherooan. May I speak to him?'

Lorne turned to look at their prisoner. 'Go ahead.'

'Father, you must not deal with these –'

Ronon cut him off short by catching hold of his throat. Teyla managed to convince him to loosen his grip a little before he choked the life out of him.

'Heernat, it is so good to hear your voice. Thelbaar told me he would not deal with the Lanteans, and I feared –'

'Well, as you can hear, he's safe and well for now. But if you want to keep him that way, you need to tell us where we can find Sheppard,' Lorne advised him.

The line fell silent for a while, and Teyla feared the Atrascan's belief in their cause was as strong as his son had suggested. Thankfully, when he spoke again, he proved Heernat wrong.

'Very well, but how do I know you will return my son to me?'

Lorne grimaced, troubled by the question. Though clearly anxious, he worded his reply with the same bravado he had used in the rest of the conversation. 'You're just going to have to trust us on that. We're people of our word. If you help us to find Colonel Sheppard, you'll get your son back.'

'You should not trust them, Father. They have threatened to kill me several times.'

'And yet we haven't,' Teyla pointed out. 'Supreme Commander, please, if you wish to see your son again, give us the address of the planet Colonel Sheppard is being held on. No one need know you told us.'

Again, a lengthy silence followed. It seemed he was at least giving the idea some thought. They waited patiently, Ronon glaring at Heernat the whole time. Eventually, the man spoke again.

'I find myself in an impossible situation, but since I have been usurped from my position by a man whose actions could ultimately lead to our undoing, I find myself trusting you more than he. Sheppard is currently being held on a planet called Karafus. I will send you the co-ordinates. But you must hurry. Thelbaar does not know I can listen in to his communications, and it seems he is planning to move your friend to another planet due to the Wraith threat there.'

'Wraith!' Ronon growled. 'You're holding him on a planet where there are Wraith?'

'We did not know that when he was sent there. It seems our operation may have brought him out of hibernation.'

'Where is Thelbaar planning to send him? Back to Atrasca?' Lorne pressed, thinking ahead in case they couldn't get to Karafus in time.

'I do not know. So far he has only instructed the research team to return to Atrasca. I presume he is still deciding where to send him after that. Oh, and you will need to go to Karafus properly prepared. I had already ordered two trucks of heavily armed troops through to hunt down the Wraith, and now Thelbaar has sent through two more. They would be more than capable of bringing down your craft if you were spotted.'

The jumper's HUD suddenly sprang into life, displaying the co-ordinates of Sheppard's imprisonment, including the location of the camp.

'Thanks for the information and the advice, Danteeras. The moment we have Sheppard back safely, you can rest assured I'll return your son to Atrasca myself,' Lorne promised him, turning the craft around and heading back to the Stargate.

Heernat sat quietly, and Teyla wondered if he was disappointed his father had complied so easily. 'It is clear your father loves you very much. If all goes well, you will be back with him soon,' she assured him.

'I have let him down by being captured. If I had not been, he would still be in power. I failed him.'

His father's words had apparently struck a new chord with him, and he seemed...humbled.

'I do not believe your father sees it that way. He appears to look forward to the prospect of your return.'

'Let's get back to Atlantis and gear up,' Lorne said, dialling up the 'gate.

'Atlantis? But we know where Sheppard is!' Ronon protested.

'Didn't you hear what Danteeras said?' Lorne asked him. 'If we go through to Karafus alone, we could find ourselves in trouble. They have weaponry strong enough to knock us out of the sky if we slip up. Then what use will we be to the colonel? We go back to Atlantis, collect ordinance and some backup, then we head on over to Karafus and go get the colonel.'

'Major Lorne is right, Ronon,' Teyla agreed. 'John wouldn't want us taking unnecessary risks to save him. Better to go in prepared and get this right first time.'

Though he was clearly far from happy, Ronon grunted, 'Whatever you think,' and settled back to glower at Heernat some more.

The 'gate glowed into life and they shot through, hopeful that the rescue would soon be in full swing.

oooOOOooo

With the sun only just moving toward the end of its warmest phase it was incredibly hard going across those dusty plains. Sheppard followed a few yards behind Sarayah, feeling stronger now the painkillers had taken the edge off his discomfort, but still not sure he could take her down. Then, when he remembered the contents of her bag, he realised he had to. She meant to drug him at some point, and he figured it was best to strike soon before the pain meds wore off and left him even weaker than he felt right now.

He watched his tormentor striding out ahead, showing no sign of flagging in the heat. At first she'd kept him in view, but he'd gradually got slower and slower, so she'd struck out in front to set a pace he now had no hope of maintaining. Numerous times he'd considered the option of jumping her and stealing her weapon, but the very fact she could keep going so strongly when he felt ready to drop told him his chances of success were slim to non-existent.

The heat and fatigue scrambled his thoughts, leaving him wondering if she was she some kind of cybernetic life form gone bad, single-minded and absolutely unstoppable. Then he decided he'd sat through too many movie nights, and once he got back to Atlantis he really had to find a more productive way to spend his free time. Atlantis. He longed to see the place again, to sit out on the East pier in the fresh air and listen to the waves breaking against the city, to feel the familiar hum of Ancient technology tingling through him, to see the faces of his friends who absolutely would not thrash him within an inch of his life...although Teyla liked to give him a run for his money in the gym sometimes...

Sarayah stopped and waited for him to catch up with her. 'Are you coping with the walk, John?'

'Well, I'm still here,' he pointed out.

She nodded, her eyes sliding over him without a hint of covetousness for the first time since she'd taken off his blindfold in the camp. 'You look tired. We'll stop again the next time I can find us some decent shelter. I seem to recall there might be a waterhole up ahead where we can find some shade and drink our fill.' She felt his forehead with the back of her hand, looking troubled by his temperature, then swung the sack down off her shoulder and pulled out a flask for him to drink from. 'Just a small amount in case I am wrong.'

Sheppard took it without offering her any thanks and sipped enough to feel refreshed. She was starting to look a lot more like the Sarayah of old now, with her long black locks now loose and blowing in the hot breeze, and her face all grubby with sweat and dust. It wasn't something he wanted to think about while alone in the desert with her, particularly considering how they had last parted company. What the hell had he been thinking coming out here with her? She would walk him until he collapsed just for the sheer fun of watching him crumple. 'How long d'you think it'll take us to get to the 'gate?' he asked, handing the flask back to her, then wiping the sweat from his forehead with his shirt. It pulled tight on his back as he lifted it, reminding him not to be so rough about it in the future.

'We should be there by nightfall, so a few more hours yet,' she told him, taking a drink herself before putting the flask away again. 'That is, if we don't encounter the Atrascans en route.'

_Or the Wraith_, Sheppard thought, peering over the shoulder as the sensation of being watched crept up on him. 'Shouldn't you be listening in to find out what they're up to? That would help us avoid them, right?' he suggested.

To his complete bafflement, she shook her head. 'They might feed us misinformation, or I might try to second guess them and lead us straight into their path. I prefer to just keep going as I planned and deal with the problems they might pose as or when they arise.'

That almost sounded sensible. He wondered if he was getting dehydrated again, or if all the drugs they'd forced into him over the past day had addled his brains.

'If we are fortunate, they'll check out other locations first, fearful that you've done something awful to me and we are still somewhere within the perimeter. If they waste enough time on that theory, we could make it to the ring before them, even if they follow is in that huge beast of a vehicle of theirs. It doesn't travel as fast as I can run.'

He didn't doubt that, but he figured it could roll a lot faster than he could move right now. With time now against him, it was becoming ever more urgent that he come up with a plan to get away from her and conceal himself from the Atrascans.

'But, of course, I expect recompense for my troubles before I take you through it,' she added enigmatically, giving him a smile as she turned and swung the bag back up on her shoulder.

She started walking away, leaving that statement hanging in the broiling air between them.

"_Recompense for my troubles". What the hell does that mean? _he wondered. Then, it dawned on him exactly what she meant. So she was expecting him to get "friendly" with her before she kept up her end of the bargain and got him away from the Atrascans. Convincing him to leave with her to save Rodney had all been a ploy to force his hand. Why had he suspected anything less of her? She might even have been lying about the Atrascans' intentions with the Ancient tech – it seemed more than likely she had been now. If he hadn't been so exhausted and hurt he might have considered that possibility earlier. Great. So making a break for it sooner rather than later was definitely in his best interests.

She'd turned her back on him again, and he knew this would be his best opportunity. It wasn't as if he was going to get any stronger. His imagination fought against him, flinging in images of just how badly this plan could go wrong, most of them ending with him laid out and succumbing to the effects of the draught. He began to shake, his adrenaline surging, ready to fight. Despite his reservations he knew it was now or never. _C'mon, John. You can do this. It's time to make a move._

He jogged as best he could to catch up with her, blurting out his casual question as if he hadn't understood her intent. 'When you say, "recompense you for your troubles..." he said, leaving the end of his question deliberately open in the hope of distracting her into halting long enough to answer.

She stopped walking, and when she turned to clarify, he swung his best right hook, the one Ali would have been proud of. Sarayah keeled over, stunned but not quite out for the count. Of course, Ali didn't have to throw that punch after taking a vicious thrashing from a knotted whip the day before, but Sheppard didn't have time to think about the pain now coursing through the shredded tissues of his back. Painkillers or not, that had damn well hurt. He clenched his jaw against it and checked her condition, finding she was already starting to get her senses back. So, he punched her again to make sure she stayed down. Then, sitting astride her and pinning both her hands to the ground above her head with his left hand, he pulled the bottle out from his pocket and unstopped the lid with his teeth, spitting it out then tipping the contents into her slack mouth.

A good dose of the evil mixture had slipped down her throat before she realised what it was and began coughing out what remained in her mouth. Sheppard felt elation rush through him; it might not be enough to knock her out completely, but he knew she wouldn't be fully functioning for quite some time. She worked her hands free and began grabbing and clawing at him like a feral animal, pulling at his shirt and sending a couple of fastenings flying in the frenzy. Much as his body was screaming out for him to stop, he caught her wrists again and wrestled with her until he saw a glaze come over her eyes and her strength began to fail. This was actually going to work.

Now the fight was over he realised just how much it had taken out of him. But he couldn't afford the luxury of rest. After allowing himself just a momentary pause while his pain subsided, the first thing he did was take back his identity, slipping his dog tags over her head and hanging them back around his neck. Then, he reclaimed the watch she'd kept hold of, too.

As he stood, she grabbed at his ankle, still fighting the effects of the draught and trying to keep him there. He shook her loose, then his anger got the better of him and he kicked her in the ribs...twice...hard. The only reason he stopped at that was because he suddenly realised how much like her he was behaving. Determined not to lower himself to her levels if violence he pulled himself up straight, took a deep breath, and told himself to let his anger go.

That done, he left her lying there in a daze while he snatched up her bag and searched through it for anything that might come in useful. He found the jacket she'd been cuddling up to at night, which he took back because he knew it would get much colder as the day wore on, and then there was her radio and the tub of painkillers, which he swiftly pocketed. Pulling out two water flasks, he kept one for himself and tossed the other onto her stomach, making certain he left her the one with the least water in it.

_See how you like feeling thirsty all the time!_

Next, he reached in and gathered up all the bottles of the draught left in her sack, eyeing them as he cradled them in his palm. He contemplated giving her more to knock her out completely, but figured the bottled he'd what would be considered safe measures. If he gave her more, he might inadvertently kill her. That wasn't his intention; he just wanted to put a decent amount of space between the two of them. No, he didn't need her murder on his conscience, not when he already had so many things to plague him at night. Instead of using them on her, he threw them on the floor, stamping on them so he knew she couldn't use them on him if she did somehow catch up with him, and taking great delight in watching the liquid disappear into the dust.

Sarayah apparently heard the noise of the glass crushing under his boot and rolled her head toward him. 'NO! Stop!' she cried, trying to crawl toward him and snatch up the drugs.

Just as Sheppard was about to bring his boot down on another, he realised it wasn't a bottle at all; it was a crystal. He stopped and cautiously bent down to pick it up, turning it over in his fingers. It looked awfully like an Ancient control crystal to him. Could it be...?

'Dialling crystal...give it to me!' she bleated, the draught loosening her tongue. She made another grab for his ankle.

He stepped back just in time to avoid the contact this time. 'I don't think so. I kind of need it myself. But I promise to leave it in the DHD, so if you make it that far without the Atrascans catching up with you, you're welcome to use it.'

'Can't leave me...the Wraith!' she protested, unable now to form completely cohesive sentences.

For a moment or two, Sheppard felt a pang of guilt, and perhaps even a hint of pity. He'd stripped her of her ability to fight, so if the Wraith came now, she was no better than a ready meal. But what could he do? It wasn't like there was anywhere nearby he could hide her, and he sure as hell wasn't taking her with him.

'Sorry, but you brought this on yourself,' he said simply, snatching up her cap and sonic weapon, and walking away from her.

'Sheppard...you can't leave me like this...Sheppard! SHEPPARD!'

Her voice screamed out his name over and over until it sounded like her vocal chords were tearing apart with the force of it. Sheppard just kept right on walking despite her cries. He'd done some difficult things in his time, far more difficult than this, in fact. If she got eaten by a Wraith, then yes, he'd probably feel bad for a little while, but at least she'd be out of his hair.

'I WILL STOP YOU!' she screamed, just as he was reaching the point where her voice was almost inaudible. He glanced back to see her crawling after him, though she hadn't got far. What was wrong with her? She was acting like some kind of addict. He almost felt sorry for the needy little freak. Almost...

'You can try,' he mumbled, tucking his chin into his chest to shield his face from the sun and dust, and striding away from her. He thought he could see trees up ahead, a way off in the distance. Pulling the radio from his pocket he turned it on, hoping for updates from Parhaadon and his cronies. If they had headed out in another direction, and if he could stay one step ahead of them, he might just make it to the Stargate before them. He knew it was a slim chance with his injuries slowing him down, but with no sign of his friends, he had to take whatever chances he had.

He kept going, finally reaching a point where he couldn't hear Sarayah's shouts anymore.

**A/N That's it for another week. The final week begins on Monday. Thanks for all the feedback and I hope everyone has a great weekend!**


	26. Chapter 26

Solvaat watched Parhaadon growing steadily more agitated as time passed and they remained unable to contact Sarayah. He had been insistent that Sarayah was probably just engrossed in her work to begin with, but with her persistent refusal to respond to their calls, it was now becoming obvious even to him that something was badly awry with the situation.

Troops came and went from the Ancient ship, collecting vital equipment and removable components to take back to Atrasca, but finding no sign of their commander or their prisoner. Solvaat smirked to himself, knowing how worried Parhaadon would be. But, since the man had been instrumental in introducing Sarayah to Danteeras, and the supreme commander had handed her a command intended for him, he felt little sympathy for either of them at this point.

Eventually, knowing Thelbaar was expecting them to return to their home world today, he strode over to his comrade and interrupted him as he bellowed more instructions.

'We can delay here no longer, Parhaadon. I think it is time to assume Sarayah has abducted the prisoner and plans to take him through the 'gate for her own nefarious purposes. If we head there now, we might be in time to stop her.'

Parhaadon glared at him with obvious fury and more than a hint of humiliation, but finally conceded a nod. 'You are right, Solvaat. She has deceived us all. But she cannot get through the ring without the control crystal, and Fuulden always keeps that on his person.'

'That is one small mercy,' Solvaat agreed. 'But the signs of where her true interests lay were there, Parhaadon – if you chose to read them.'

The scientist planted his hands on his hips. 'Do you mean to lecture me on my stupidity now?'

Solvaat shook his head. 'You do not need me to tell you how foolish you have been. I am certain you already realise.'

'I do not understand,' Parhaadon sighed, relaxing his stance. 'Why was she so determined to have him? Her people are already protected. They have no need for Sheppard to activate their technology.'

Wondering if his colleague was really that naive, Solvaat replied, 'I don't believe it is his Lantean genes she is interested in. I think her requirements are more...basic.'

Looking both angry and disgusted at the suggestion, the scientist turned away from Solvaat and ordered everyone to return to camp. Solvaat knew he'd hit a nerve and decided to leave it at that for the time being. After this, perhaps Parhaadon would treat Sarayah with the right amount of caution if their paths crossed again.

He led the way back to their camp along with Teelac. They kept an eye out all around, conscious of the threat still apparent from the Wraith. They had been in touch with the extermination teams, but as yet, they had not spotted anything in their searches. The thing was still out there, lurking, possibly hunting them down even now. Hopefully it would realise attacking such a large party as theirs was too risky and they would make it back to the camp. Then, they could travel to the ring in the relative safety of the truck. Of course, that meant Sarayah and the prisoner were a far easier target. Of the two of them, he hoped Sheppard made it. But whether he did or not, Solvaat couldn't wait to be home so he could see his wife and son again.

'Do you think Sarayah took Sheppard to...you know...continue where that questioning left off?' Teelac suddenly asked him.

'I think we should concentrate on keeping a look-out for that Wraith,' he said gruffly without looking at her.

'I think she used us to get him here. He obviously wasn't happy to see her from when they last met.'

Tiring of the subject, he replied, 'It seems to me hers wasn't the only head Sheppard turned...you seem to be very interested in what Sarayah is up to with him.'

Teelac's cheeks coloured up to a dark crimson, and she watched her feet for a while until he reminded her to check the upper level of the rocky mounds they were currently nearing.

After a few minutes of silence, the young woman spoke again. 'She seemed to enjoy hurting him. I found that quite troubling.'

'You and I both,' he muttered, realising she wasn't about to let the topic drop.

'When Parhaadon questioned him, he had good cause, as did you – we were trying to acquire vital information – but with Sarayah...I felt the torture was what mattered to her, not the results.'

'Seems you are more observant than our scientist friend, then,' he replied, checking over his shoulder and spotting Parhaadon puffing and blowing toward the rear of the group.

'I think Sarayah's beauty blinded many to her true nature,' Teelac sighed.

'There is nothing beautiful about a soul that black,' he told her. 'I agree she used us to gain access to Sheppard, nothing more. She never intended for our plans to work.'

She nodded, and walked the rest of the way in silence until they reached the perimeter, which she deactivated and stood by until the last if their party was through.

Solvaat and the others began to pack up their daily food and water rations for the trip and blankets for added warmth into their backpacks, then they threw the rest of their food and water into a large container, which was loaded in the truck.

Fuulden helped them with it, then climbed into the cab as the rest of them piled into the back of the vehicle, sliding along the benches and trying not to step on what remained of Greekaf, who lay wrapped in his own blanket on the base boards at their feet.

Parhaadon checked they were all aboard, then climbed up front with Fuulden.

'Too good to ride out back with the rest of us,' one of the men whispered hoarsely, bringing a smile to Solvaat's face. He'd been thinking much the same thing, but at his sub-commander rank, didn't feel able to voice it as freely as his troops did.

The truck lurched forward, making them all sway in their seats and bang shoulders. It was nothing they weren't used to; no apologies necessary.

Solvaat gazed out of the rear opening and watched the cave mouth shrinking into the distance as they moved away. It would be good to be home among his own kind again. The tainting effect of working under an alien commander had made this mission the worst of his life, and he was glad she would not be in charge should he ever return to this dust bowl of a planet to finish their project.

oooOOOooo

It was with immense relief that Sheppard saw the trees he'd spotted in the distance earlier did, indeed, surround another waterhole. He'd been in enough desert situations to know greenery like this was a good sign, but he was in another galaxy, so the planets didn't necessarily have to obey the laws of nature he knew. Still, he was glad not to be proved right on that theory at this moment.

Dropping to his knees on the bank, he scooped up handfuls of water and drank them greedily, replenishing his body's supplies which had been so badly depleted over the past couple of days. He could almost feel himself growing stronger with every handful he poured down his parched throat.

Once satiated, he pushed his canteen down below the surface, spotting a set of eyes pop up further across the pool as he did so. Recognising it as another Golaafan, he gave it no further thought. The one at the waterhole near the camp had been harmless enough; hopefully this one would be no different.

With his flask refilled, he allowed himself a moment of rest, lying on his side on the soft grasses growing in the hydrated soil around the natural basin of water. He told himself he could relax for five minutes because there was absolutely no way Sarayah would have crawled as fast as he could walk, even if she had remained conscious enough to attempt to follow him. Just as long and he didn't fall asleep...

He realised he'd done just that when a rustling beside him made him jump awake again. The Golaafan had climbed out of the water and was now eyeing him curiously from a few feet away. It resembled a miniature hippo, but with a longer snout, which it was currently waving about to pick up his scent. Sarayah had said they liked the smell of their soap. Surely the critter couldn't sniff it out after all these hours?

'Oh, it's just you,' Sheppard breathed with relief. 'Sorry, ugly, but I don't have anything you can eat if that's what you're waiting for.'

It tilted its head a little, scrutinizing him with caution, but not approaching him any more closely. Sheppard checked his watch and saw he'd lost ten minutes. Well, ten minutes he could spare, but he couldn't risk falling asleep again; he had to get moving.

'It's been nice talking with you, ugly,' he quipped, sitting up carefully so as not to unnecessarily aggravate his injuries, 'but I really have to be going now.'

The creature suddenly startled, lifting its head to look up into the trees. Sheppard froze, sensing something himself now – something sitting up in the branches watching him. What if it was that huge bird that had tried to take Solvaat out on the bridge? That thing had been enormous, but the sonic gun had stunned it enough to scare it off last time – hopefully it would do the same now.

With almost no discernable movement, he slipped one hand onto the hilt of the gun concealed beneath the jacket he'd tied loosely around his waist, while slipping on the cap he'd snatched from Sarayah's head with the other as if nothing was wrong at all.

'Well,' he said, getting to his feet as the little creature backed up even further. 'I hate to cut and run, but I'd better get going.'

Instead of walking he snapped his head back and aimed, but the Wraith jumped down from the branches and floored him before he could let off even a single shot, knocking the weapon from his grip.

Though he hadn't expected that particular foe, Sheppard reacted quickly, struggling to keep the monster's feeding hand away his chest. He could see the gun now lying about a foot beyond his reach, knowing his best hope lay in somehow fighting his way over to it. Like a wild and ravenous animal, the Wraith clawed and hissed, tearing at Sheppard's shirt in an attempt to expose his flesh, prime for feeding. Its nails, like talons, gouged him as it tore his shirtfront, more fasteners popping and flying away into the grasses.

As it was about to thrust its palm onto his chest it hesitated, confusion furrowing its green translucent brow, and Sheppard took advantage of the moment of distraction. Bringing his legs up, he kicked the Wraith clear, rolling and grabbing the gun as he arrived on his knees. He fired it, feeling the power himself as it knocked the Wraith clean off his feet and backward to the water's edge.

Sheppard took a moment to catch his breath, realising the feeding mark from his previous Wraith encounter had no doubt saved his life. It had confused the creature long enough for him to kick it off, and for that, he supposed he was grateful for the torment Kolya's enslaved Wraith had put him through. He'd always been a firm believer that things happened for a reason, and if this wasn't a case in point, he didn't know what was.

His ears rang a little, probably because the struggle had knocked his cap loose and some of the sound waves had penetrated its coverage. Though shaken and in pain, after keeping very still for a minute or two he felt able to stand and walk after a fashion...which was just as well. At that moment, the Wraith growled and tried to sit up again. Sheppard reacted immediately, shooting it again, and then running out of the area. That thing wasn't likely to stay down long, even after a second blast, and he needed to find somewhere to conceal himself before it came after him.

Breaking free of the greenery of the oasis, he saw a great expanse of flat sands, with rocky hills off in the distance to his left. But they were a way off. He pulled the tub of painkillers from his pocket and dry swallowed two more, whether it was too soon to take them or not, then set off at a jog. His back felt liked someone had attacked it with a cheese grater, but he had to push on. If it was a choice between that and having another Wraith feed on him, he would choose the cheese grater ever time. Damn, his life really sucked sometimes.

He tried to keep his breathing even and maintain a steady pace, checking over his shoulder from time to time, and each instance thankful to find no Wraith in sight. Maybe the second shot had finished it off after all. That Wraith had been the most primal of the species he'd ever met. Perhaps ten thousand years of solitude, give or take a few hibernations, had sent it over the edge. Certainly the one that had killed Gaul and Abrams had seemed a lot more civilised somehow...and much harder to kill.

Swallowing hard at the thought the Wraith might not be dead after all, he tried to pick up the pace, each thud of his boots send nauseating pain through his back and into his twisted guts. Only a little further on, he dropped to his knees, out of breath and out of strength, the pain just too much for him to contend with until that new painkiller kicked in.

Slipping his water flask from his thigh pocket, he sipped the contents, checking behind him again for any signs of movement. Still nothing. Unfortunately, the same could not be said when he turned to look back ahead of him. A cloud of dust was rising on the horizon. Either some kind of dust storm was brewing or – the sound of an engine floated to him on the breeze – or there was a vehicle driving toward him. Knowing he had a rabid Wraith, and an equally rabid Medulsan, lying on the path behind him, and nothing but flat land for miles in any direction, he figured he was as good as caught. With no way of knowing if he was heading in the right direction, letting them pick him up was probably his best hope of making it to the 'gate anyway. Perhaps he would think of a way of getting free again once he knew which way to go. He had to stay positive.

Conserving his energy, he watched the cloud of swirling dirt grow as it headed toward him, the sound of crunching stones and grinding gears getting ever louder until the leviathan of a truck drew to a stop just in front of him.

Several Atrascan guards carrying impressively large guns jumped out from the back of the canopied truck and surrounded him. He raised his hands as best he could in an act of surrender, feeling an odd sense of relief that his trek was over. He was exhausted, in agony, and right at this point he didn't have the heart for another fight.

_Not as tough as I hoped, huh Dad? _he thought.

One of the soldiers stepped forward to snatch away his jacket and the gun from his belt, and then the hat from his head. Then he dragged the colonel up to his feet and slammed him face first against the front of their vehicle, where he proceeded to search him. He pulled out the pills and handed them to a colleague, then also found the crystal, holding it up for the others to see.

'Good job we found him. He would have got through the ring without any problem.'

Sheppard watched what pocket he slipped it into from the corner of his eye. Perhaps if another chance offered itself up he could get that back and make one more attempt to break free...if he ever found the strength to try again.

'Where is Sarayah?' the man asked, turning Sheppard around and slamming his back against the truck. The colonel whimpered and pressed his lips hard together to hold back the torrent of expletives desperate to free itself.

'What's wrong with you?' the man demanded.

'Got some back pain,' Sheppard hissed through his clenched teeth.

When the man turned him again, lifting his shirt and pulling back some of the dressings, the troops all gasping at the sight. Sheppard figured it must look pretty bad if seasoned soldiers reacted that way.

'What on Atrasca...?' the man holding him breathed. Then, he activated his radio. 'Parhaadon, we have your prisoner. He's alone and injured.'

'_Injured. How?'_

'His back...it looks like someone lashed him.'

'_Yes, we know about that...but where's Sarayah?' _he heard the scientist ask.

The soldier looked at Sheppard, freeing him from his position pressed against the truck. 'Where is she, Sheppard?'

Sheppard shrugged and winced. 'Dunno. I left her behind some time ago, she could be anywhere by now. Found a Wraith, too, which is more than you guys managed?'

'The Wraith? Where?' the soldier demanded.

'Back at the waterhole in those trees you can see over there,' he told them. 'I fought it off and shot it, but I can't guarantee it's dead. Those things are pretty damn hard to kill. I left it by the water; if it's still there it should be easy to find.'

'Get him in the truck,' the lead soldier ordered the others, and Sheppard heard him update Parhaadon as he was pushed around to the rear of the truck.

'The prisoner says he left Sarayah out on the plains somewhere, and he spotted the Wraith back at the last water hole he passed. We will go and check things out then bring the prisoner to you.'

'_Very well. We have your position on screen. We're heading out to check the caves to the Northwest of you for signs of Sarayah. When you've finished your search, meet us there.'_

'Understood.'

They squeezed Sheppard onto a bench with two soldiers either side of him. He was surprised they didn't cuff him, but supposed if these troops had come to the planet purely with the intention of hunting down and killing the Wraith, they might not be carrying any. Or maybe they just figure he looked so bad there was no way he could get away from them...

The truck was soon lumbering on its way, the air in the back filling with throat tickling dust. Sheppard tried to breathe through his nose to avoid coughing. He didn't think he could cope with the pulling on his injuries just yet, but when he sneezed, he figured that wasn't much better either.

The tone of the engine, which had reached a peak and held steady for some time, began to change, suggesting they were nearing the waterhole. As the truck ground to a halt, two troops were ordered to stay in the back with Sheppard, while the rest of them disembarked and trudged off into the greenery.

Sheppard peered out the back of the truck, seeing one of those huge birds soaring over the rocky hills in the distance. For a moment, he felt just a pang of guilt that he had left Sarayah so defenceless, but he put a lid on it and pushed it away. He couldn't very well have dragged her along with him, and he hadn't wanted to either. Her interest in him was freakishly obsessive; the more distance he would keep between the two of them, the better for all concerned.

When the absent troops returned to the truck a while later, they looked despondent, and Sheppard figured they hadn't located their target.

'We found the spot where you struggled with it, but the creature is gone,' the senior officer told him. 'We'll head back and search for Sarayah, but if that Wraith found her first, I don't hold out much hope for her.'

'Could still be better than the punishment she'll receive if we take her back to Atrasca. Thelbaar has never been a fan of hers,' another said.

'Enough talk,' the officer snapped, his eyes flicking across to Sheppard's then back to his apparent subordinate. Then he shouted, 'Drive on!' through the small window to the cab, and they set off with a bone rattling judder once again.

By now, the extra pills he had taken kicked in and he didn't notice the motion as much this time as the truck creaked and crunched its way across the landscape. He had no idea exactly where he'd abandoned Sarayah; all the landscape around them looked the same to him. It was only when he caught sight of something glinting in the sun that he realised they had just passed the spot where they had fought, and the light was reflecting off the broken glass vials he'd left in the dirt beside her.

'Wait. I left her around here somewhere,' he told them.

The lead officer yelled for the driver to stop, and then shoved Sheppard out the back of the truck so he could show them the exact spot that had jogged his memory.

He pointed out where the glass lay broken, the liquid contents long since evaporated in the heat. The sack she'd carried supplies in lay nearby, but he noticed the water flask was gone. From that spot, drag marks led away in the direction they'd just covered, running almost parallel with the truck's fresh track prints.

'All right,' the team leader called to the others. 'I think we've wasted enough time on her already. Commander Thelbaar is expecting this prisoner back on Atrasca today. Let's head to the rendezvous point and hand him over. If we see her en route, we'll pick her up.'

Not happy at the thought of sharing the back of the truck with her, Sheppard hoped they managed to miss her again.

**A/N Here it is - the final week. I hope it doesn't disappoint! Keep those comments coming. :D**


	27. Chapter 27

Rodney headed down to the armoury and found Teyla, Ronon and Major Lorne already there and gearing up, along with several dozen marines. He forced his way further into the room as the marines began to move out, fighting against the tide of movement and planting himself in front of his two teammates. 'So, I hear you have a set of co-ordinates from Danteeras.'

'Yes,' Teyla replied, clipping her P-90 to her Tac-Vest. 'It is a planet known as Karafus. The Atrascans have a research facility set up there.'

Rodney pondered her reply. 'Karafus...that was on the list of planets the Genii gave us. Mostly desert, with a number of waterholes and some indigenous species. Certainly fits the bill. So, Danteeras may actually have given us accurate intel?'

'We certainly hope so,' she said with a tight smile, snatching up a radio and brushing past him as she plugged her earpiece into it. Rodney picked up a handgun and slipped it into his thigh holster, then grabbed a radio and ran to catch up with her.

'Do we know what they've been studying out there?' he asked.

She glanced back, but her eyes hardly settled on him. 'We did not ask, Rodney. It did not seem...pertinent.'

'Depends if it's something dangerous,' he pointed out, running up the stairs behind them all, falling somewhat behind. 'So, where's Heernat?'

'Enjoying the hospitality of our cells,' Ronon told him without missing a stride.

Eventually, they all entered the jumper bay, splitting up and heading to three separate craft. Rodney followed his team and was about to enter the jumper they were heading into via the rear hatch, when Ronon stopped on the ramp and posted himself in his path.

'Where'd you think you're going, McKay?' he asked, folding his arms over his broad chest. Teyla and Lorne stopped, too, watching their discourse with mild agitation.

'With you of course,' he replied.

'Don't think so. We didn't want to take you to Atrasca. You're going to be in even more danger of we take you to the planet where they need your brains.'

'He's right, McKay,' Lorne called. 'Dr Weir thinks you should sit this one out.'

'Well, she clearly hasn't thought this through. What if you come up against a problem you need my help with? I was there when you gave Elizabeth the news. From what I understand you're already up against the clock here – you're not going to have time to come back and get me before they move him off world.'

'It's a search and rescue mission, McKay – no science know-how required,' Lorne told him.

McKay fish mouthed, then blustered, 'You have no way of knowing that. Come on...I need to do this!'

Just then, Carson wandered in with his heavy medical kit hefted on his back. 'Right. Who am I with, then?'

Rodney could feel the pulse in his temple pounding with his mounting frustration. 'You have to be kidding! He gets to go and I don't!'

'It's nothing personal, Rodney. It's just that you don't know how to treat medical emergencies, and I do,' Carson explained, looking pained as he waited for him to erupt in response.

'There's no way I'm staying here if Beckett goes,' McKay insisted, stepping onto the ramp. They would have to bodily remove him now, although he realised Ronon would probably have no problem doing that...and from the glint in his eye apparently relished the idea.

Lorne rolled his eyes, then tapped his earpiece. 'Dr Weir, Dr McKay is here with us in the jumper bay looking for the all clear to go with...'

Elizabeth voice immediately broke through on Rodney's communicator. 'Rodney, I thought you understood we can't afford you to fall into enemy hands.'

'I do understand that. But you can't send everyone through to an unknown planet without someone with some scientific knowledge. Who knows what they might come up against when they get there?'

'Then maybe we could send someone else...'

'Anyone working here possesses knowledge of Ancient tech the Atrascans can use,' he argued.

'Yes, but they know who you are, Rodney. Anyone else would be able to deny they have that level of understanding.'

Although he knew she made a valid point, he just couldn't contemplate this mission going ahead without him. 'Please, Elizabeth. Sheppard's my friend; I can't just sit on my hands and wait for news. Besides, I'll be surrounded by marines; how close do you think the Atrascans are going to get?'

Elizabeth sighed, a sound she often made just before conceding. He crossed his fingers and hoped she did the same this time. 'All right. Rodney, against my better judgement I'm going to let you go because you are the best person to be out there if they do come up against any kind of problem with tracking Sheppard. But you do exactly as Major Lorne tells you. No heroics.'

'Oh, you know me, Elizabeth. That's not exactly likely is it?' he snorted.

He looked at the others, who all smirked as if they knew better, and turned to head into the jumper. 'Just promise me,' he heard Weir ask.

'All right, I promise,' he told her, mounting the ramp and joining the others.

Moments later, they were on their way.

They emerged on Karafus and the three craft cloaked immediately, starting scans for Sheppard's sub-dermal transmitter signal.

They all checked the information on the jumper's HUD, but there was no sign of Sheppard anywhere in the vicinity.

'I'm not picking anything up, but if they used anything like that sonic weapon they shot us down with on him at any time, there's a good chance his transmitter got fried.'

'Okay, in the absence of a signal, can you pick up any kind of energy signatures that might be worth checking out?' Lorne asked him.

'Er, yeah, there's some small power readings dotted about. They could be vehicles because they appear to be mobile.'

'Okay, let's go take a look.'

They stayed high enough not to be heard on their approach and covering a few miles before spotting a tank like vehicle heading away from the 'gate.

'You picking up Sheppard's signal now?' Lorne asked again.

Rodney shook his head. 'Nope, I'm getting nothing except the vehicle's energy sig.'

'What if he is inside it?' Teyla asked.

'It's heading away from the 'gate,' Ronon pointed out. 'If they're supposed to be moving Sheppard off-world they'd be heading toward it.'

'Huh! Good point,' Rodney said, as if surprised he could be so astute, and earning himself a filthy look from the Satedan in the process.

'So, are any of the other signatures vehicles?' Lorne asked him, breaking the moment.

'They're all identical, so I'd say that's a good chance,' McKay told him.

'Any of them moving toward the 'gate?'

'Yeah, two of them, then there is another one stationary to the northwest of our position and another one near the co-ordinates for the camp.'

'Okay, Jumper Two, we're sending across the co-ordinates of one of the vehicles heading for the gate, we'll check out the other. Jumper Five, I want you to head to the camp and make sure that truck isn't on its way to pick up the colonel,' Lorne barked, setting the jumper on its new course.

The pilots responded, immediately putting Lorne's instructions into action.

'How will we know if the colonel is on board any of the vehicles?' Teyla asked. 'We cannot see into the back of them. If we engage them without knowing which one he is in, we may allow his captors to slip past us and get to the Stargate.'

'We can't afford to let that happen. Can't you do something to find him, McKay?' Ronon queried.

'Oh, yes. Of course I can,' he sneered, glaring at him. 'I'll just get out my divining rods, shall I? Or maybe my Tarot cards –'

'You were the one who said you could help if we came up against a problem finding him,' Lorne reminded him from the pilot seat. 'Perhaps now would be a good time to start doing that.'

'Well, I'd love to, but there's absolutely no signal coming from his transmitter. I'm guessing they either fried it or removed it. Whatever they did, it isn't working...unless they've already moved him.'

'What about adapting the life signs detector somehow?' the major offered. 'Maybe adjust it so that it picks up on something unique to Sheppard.'

'I'm sorry, I can't ask it to only pull up signals from people with "bed head",' Rodney scoffed.

'What about the ATA gene?' Carson suggested. 'I know it's not unique, but we know the Atrascans don't have it or they wouldn't have kidnapped him in the first place. So, the only other people it would pick up are those of us on the jumpers who have it –'

'— and I can easily eliminate those,' Rodney grinned. 'Carson, you're a genius!'

'Aye, I'm not just a pretty face,' the doctor grinned sheepishly.

'I'm going to need your access codes to get information from your work on the gene,' Rodney told him, passing the laptop to the medic for him to enter them.

'How long are we talking here, McKay?' Lorne asked.

'I don't know, twenty minutes – half an hour tops.'

'That's too long,' Ronon growled.

'Look, I never said I was a miracle worker –'

'It will be good enough, I am sure,' Teyla said softly, soothing the tension between the two men.

'Okay, well, while you work on that, I'm gonna head over to our target and see if we can get a visual on him.'

'Good idea,' Ronon grunted, folding his arms over his chest and glaring at McKay.

The scientist, sensing eyes on him, looked up and met the challenge. 'That is seriously not helping.'

Ronon swivelled his chair away and looked at the floor instead, muttering Satedan curses under his breath.

Rodney didn't care about his sulking; he was doing something useful at last, and that always made Rodney McKay a very happy man.

oooOOOooo

The truck jerked to a halt and his guards prodded Sheppard to the back to make him jump down and join Parhaadon, who was anxiously waiting for his arrival at the caves. Sheppard had never seen anyone look quite as stressed as he did right now, something that gave him a small sense of satisfaction even considering the dire circumstances he found himself in. They would soon move him to yet another planet, drastically cutting the chances of his team finding him unless he could get away from them somehow.

'Good work recovering the prisoner, Sub-Commander Nuulas– did you find no sign of Sarayah?' the scientist asked, taking Sheppard's jacket and the sonic weapon and cap the man handed to him.

The young officer shook his head. 'No, Sir. We checked right back to the spot where she and the prisoner parted ways, but we found no sign of her.'

Parhaadon turned his icy gaze on Sheppard now. 'Perhaps you killed her and hid her body.'

Like he'd have had the energy to do that even if he'd wanted to. 'Should've,' the colonel grumbled by way of a denial. At first he'd been glad they hadn't found her, but now...the longer they loitered on this planet, the more he expected her to come back at him again like some horror movie monster. After what he'd done to her, he really didn't want to see her again.

'We've checked these caves and there is no trace of her here. I think we will have to begin the journey to the 'gate if we hope to get back today,' Parhaadon decided. 'Get the prisoner into the truck.'

'The prisoner has a name,' Sheppard muttered, letting them lift and push him up into the rear of the truck along with Solvaat, Teelac, and the various other familiar faces. Parhaadon tossed his jacket to Solvaat for safekeeping. He caught it and folded it on his lap, the glance he gave Sheppard suggesting he recognised it as the jacket Sarayah had kept hidden in her pillow, but he didn't comment.

'Before you go, Sir,' Nuulas called to the scientist, stopping him on the way back to the front of the truck. 'You'll need this when you get there.'

He held up the control crystal for the DHD he'd taken from Sheppard earlier. The colonel heard Parhaadon falter to a stop and then stomp back to over to him. 'Where did you get that?'

'The prisoner had it, Sir.'

Parhaadon's head appeared around the back of the truck, glaring in at Sheppard. 'How did _you_ get this?' he demanded, snatching the crystal away from Nuulas and waving it in his view.

'I got it from Sarayah...couldn't tell you how she came by it,' he replied casually.

His face turning puce with rage, Parhaadon bellowed, 'Fuulden! Why did you give Sarayah the dialling control crystal?'

'I didn't. I have it...'

There was a pause, and Sheppard's imagination filled in the gaps, conjuring up the sight of Fuulden patting his pockets and finding them all empty. He had to wonder what Sarayah had done to distract the man if he carried the crystal about his person. No, actually, not much wondering was required, and he forbade his imagination from doing any more "filling in".

'Idiot!' Parhaadon shouted, then stalked his way back to sit beside him.

'Wish I was riding up there with those two,' Teelac smirked. 'That would make for an interesting conversation.'

'Teelac!' Solvaat warned.

'Well, men can be so foolish,' she scoffed. 'Sarayah had them all wrapped around her little finger.'

'Not all,' Solvaat assured her, glancing Sheppard's way.

_Ain't that the truth! _the colonel thought. Sarayah's supposed transformation hadn't fooled him for a moment. But it seemed she'd managed to trick and manipulate several key people in her attempt to...to what? To get to him? Had she really gone to all this trouble, and sold herself to so many people all because she was determined to get her grubby little paws on him again? That was too weird to even contemplate...he tried to ignore the idea, but she'd as much as told him so, and it nagged at him as the truck pulled away and trundled across the uneven landscape.

The Atrascan troops they left behind could be seen gearing up and setting out to do some kind of manual search, evidently still keen to find that Wraith. The wound on his chest ached as he recalled the feeding sensation for the first time in weeks. He hoped they managed to before the creature found them, because he doubted they would survive the experience as he had.

oooOOOooo

As Parhaadon's truck left the area, the Wraith extermination party began their own search of the caves, not trusting the scientist's incompetent team to have been as thorough as they could be.

They had brought some substantial ordinance with them to tackle the Wraith considering their race's known ability to heal. In addition to their hand-held sonic blasters, they had larger sonic shock weapons that could produce a bigger blast wave over a greater distance. Not having to get too close to the Wraith had to be a bonus when hunting such a formidable creature.

In addition to that, they had remote sonic stun mines, which could be laid at even greater distances and set off when the target approached them. Half the team began laying those, while others hefted their large shock weapons onto their shoulders like RPG launchers and headed into the darker recesses the various openings and fissures the rock face provided.

The wind was picking up, swirling dust into their eyes as they dug into the sandy soil and laid the mines they hoped the Wraith would eventually wander too close to.

They spread out, each laying mines near the entrances of the larger caves they felt were the most likely choice for a creature as tall as a Wraith. It would have to seek shelter from the sun somewhere, so if they left a couple of troops to monitor this area, they might be able to set one off as he approached a cave.

Sarayah watched them work from high up on the rock face. After giving up on pursuing Sheppard, she had worked out her best option of recovery was to bring up her stomach contents to reduce the amount of draught in her system. Much retching and purging later, deprived of desperately needed fluids and having drained the half-empty flask Sheppard had left with her, she decided to head for the nearest set of caves to find shelter until she her mind felt clearer. She thought they lay to the east of her position, though she couldn't be convinced her memory of the geography of the planet was completely accurate in her current state. She stumbled, staggered and crawled her way in the direction she felt sure they lay in, relieved when her wavering vision showed them looming up some distance in front of her. If she could get out of the heat and rest a while, she could begin her trek toward the gate refreshed and ready to pick up her pace. Sheppard was badly injured and unsire of which direction to take; she had no doubt she could catch up with him once the effects of the drug had begun to dissipate.

Unfortunately, as she'd arrived at her destination and was about to take shelter, she'd spotted a cloud of dust coming toward her, a sure sign one of the Atrascan vehicles was approaching her position. With no chance to rest, she'd forced herself to find a hiding place to avoid discovery. As the vehicle had drawn closer, the damage evident to the front end had identified it as the one Sheppard had driven into the sonic perimeter. So, she'd climbed up to a ledge with some large boulders nestling on it, where she could conceal herself and watch Parhaadon and his idiots work, not once thinking to check higher than the caves in front of them, not even the females, whom she'd hoped would have a little more sense. It had gladdened her heart to see the other truck draw up and off-load Sheppard some time afterwards. That would make catching up with him all the easier once she'd made sure she was fully equipped for the challenge. The truck that remained behind carried several heavily armed men. That could either prove useful or lethal to her; she would have to be careful if she wanted to turn this to her advantage.

Still feeling dizzy, she rubbed her eyes in an attempt to help her focus. She needed to act fast if she was going to stop Parhaadon getting Sheppard back to Atrasca. She couldn't afford to waste more time waiting for the drugs to fully clear her system; she needed to act now.

One of the Atrascans was working behind a protuberance in the rock, out of site of the others. It was a reckless thing to do with a Wraith on the loose, but she knew the creature wasn't in the vicinity because she'd had the sense to take herself up to higher ground and improve her vantage point. From there she could see over quite a distance, although she admittedly couldn't focus quite as well as she might have liked to. She had Sheppard to thank for that...and she intended to let him know just how happy she was about it once she caught up with him.

But although her face and ribs were bruised and her mind even more unsettled than usual, she couldn't help but be pleased. His defiance – his absolute refusal to give in to her, even when it seemed everything was against him – was what made him so special...so different from other men. She wanted to keep that close, to rein it in...gradually...hopefully over many, many lunar revolutions, even longer if she was fortunate. Her time working in the prison encampment on Medulsa had taught her you could wear down even the strongest of wills eventually, twisting them, moulding them, convincing them what you want is in their best interest. Sheppard wouldn't crack easily; he knew his mind better than any man she'd ever met – but even he would succumb eventually. Everyone had their breaking point. Everyone.

Having found a reasonably easy path up to the ledge, she began to snake her way down from it toward the unsuspecting Atrascan. He had weapons she needed to use to get Sheppard back, and as she slithered silently down to ground level, she picked up a substantial rock, one that sat comfortably in her palm, then crept up behind him and...thud.

The fool had been so engrossed in his work he hadn't heard her approach. Good thing she wasn't a Wraith or he'd be a dried up husk by now instead of an unconscious Atrascan brewing an impressive headache.

She unfastened his holster and took his sonic hand weapon, then slipped the strap of the larger shock weapon over his head and eased it from his back. Now this would come in handy, especially since it meant she could stop the truck Sheppard was riding in before even catching up with it. She slipped the strap across her body, staggering a little with the change in her weight distribution. The draught was still affecting her more than she would have liked, making her unsteady on her feet. Still, she would push on, because if she didn't Sheppard would get away from her, and she wasn't ready to let that happen...not again. Having spent the past two years moving around, listening out for information that might lead to him, and eventually finding and manipulating a race of people who could bring him to her, she had no intention of letting him slip through her fingers now.

Finally, after snatching the Atrascan's water flask, she began to mount the rock face once more, finding it much harder with the extra bulk of the weapons she now carried. Swaying and slipping more than she had on the way down, she had to make a desperate scramble up the last few feet in order to conceal herself before the other soldiers found their colleague and raised the alarm.

She struggled to the top and rolled away from the edge, laying out in the now fading sunlight to recapture her breath. That had taken far more out of her than it should have. The damned drugs had stripped her of her natural speed and agility and left her a bumbling wretch. Still, as time went on her head would clear and her capabilities would return. Until then, she would stumble on and use the weapons now at her disposal.

She heaved herself back onto her side to check the whereabouts of the remaining Atrascans before setting off again. They remained unaware of the plight of their fallen colleague...and also of the Wraith she saw crossing the ground between two large rocky mounds some distance away.

Now seemed like a very good time to get herself out of the area. Hopefully, the extermination team would keep the Wraith busy while she went about making up the ground between her and Sheppard's transport. Though she might not be able to move as fast as she normally could, she knew there was some difficult territory ahead of them that would slow the vehicle down. Still, time was of the essence. She had to get that truck back in sight before it reached the Ancestral Ring or Sheppard was lost to her once again. The mere thought of that was enough to drive her back to her feet no matter how exhausted she felt.

**A/N Thanks again to all those of you who have stuck with this story. The feedback is much appreciated. :D**


	28. Chapter 28

The heat of the day was thankfully diminishing, and now the sun was beginning to sink toward the horizon, plunging the stony rises and distant mountains into dusky shadows. Striations in the craggy mounts they passed close to as they drove showed the millennia of formation and erosion the planet had gone through, many of the layers millions of years older than the ship that had crashed there, he imagined. He knew a few geologists back on Atlantis who would have given their left arms to examine a planet like this, there was just so much history here, even to an untrained eye like his. The seams of stone, now cast in oranges and lilacs in the dimming light were a beautiful sight, but not one Sheppard would be sorry to leave behind. If he ever got back to Atlantis, Karafus would be added to his list of places to return to again on a cold day in hell.

The troops chatted quietly, and mostly Sheppard couldn't hear what they were saying above the engine noise. But one comment stood out, something about Thelbaar being the better man to see through their plans. Solvatt immediately grunted at the two particular soldiers discussing the matter to keep it down, flashing a guilty look Sheppard's way before averting his gaze again. It struck Sheppard then that Sarayah might not have been lying about what the Atrascans needed the Ancient tech for after all, and he had just wandered straight back into their hands. How could he have been so careless when so much was at stake?

He shuddered involuntarily in the cooling breeze, and Solvaat, apparently noticing his shivers, passed him his jacket. The man looked grim as he watched him straighten it out, and Sheppard sensed regret in him. Perhaps things had gone much further than he had expected them to. He was, after all, just a soldier following orders. The colonel imagined in another time and place that he and Solvaat could have been friends, but not now...not after everything that had passed. Sheppard dipped his head in silent thanks, trying to pull his jacket on, but the damaged skin on his back was stiff and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reach the second sleeve.

Teelac reached around his back and pulled it forward to make things easier for him, careful not to touch his wounds as she did it. He flicked her a quick smile, but kept his thanks to just that. She had a purple bruise on her cheekbone he felt pretty sure he was responsible for, but thankfully she didn't seem to be bearing a grudge, not like Sarayah would. But these people were still the enemy, even if they were currently the lesser of two evils from a personal point of view. After what he'd overheard earlier and Solvaat's reaction, it seemed there was still a chance they planned to use him to further their own planet's wealth, and that just didn't sit well with him. Where the hell was his team when he needed them?

He allowed his gaze to drift back out of the open rear of the truck, while trying to ignore the discomfort even the slight additional weight of his jacket brought to his stinging back. The shadows on the ground were lengthening, and the once flat terrain was now peppered with jagged rock formations jabbing up into the violet sky. He felt himself tense involuntarily as they passed thought it. There were lots of places for a Wraith to hide out here if it were feeling brave enough to take on a truckload of humans. Hopefully, having fed within the last day or so, he wasn't quite that desperate to feed, though if he thought his food source was about to leave town, he might just try it anyway.

The vehicle was labouring up a slope, struggling and groaning with the effort the driver was asking of it. The last couple of miles of the journey had been much like this, with the truck sounding as if the drive shafts were ready to buckle under the strain and the engine about to explode. Sheppard figured they could have got out and pushed the thing faster, though he was very glad no one had asked him to.

He was just comparing the views to those in Afghanistan when the hugest reptile he'd ever seen crawled out from behind a bulbous rock and traversed the tracks they'd just made in the sand. _Okay, so not exactly like Afghanistan_, he supposed, _more like The Land that Time Forgot_. The creature had to be twice the size of an alligator and apparently didn't mind wandering quite a distance from the waterholes because he couldn't remember the last time they'd passed one. Yet another anomaly in Sarayah's theory that the indigenous life forms hung around near water. They obviously hadn't had much time to make a study of the planet since arriving there, because there were a lot of creatures here outside the perimeter they'd set up that didn't conform to her expectations.

Unexpectedly, he spotted another movement, some two or three hundred yards back down the slope. It was too quick to be another of those monster lizards, and for an awful moment, he thought it might be the Wraith. He knew for a fact those things could move pretty quickly when necessary. He watched a while longer without spotting anything more, wondering if it had been an illusion conjured up by his exhausted and heat-addled brain. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to voice his disbelief when, in the next even more awful moment, Sarayah stepped out into the open and aimed one helluva big gun at their truck.

The shock wave from her weapon hit hard and shook the vehicle so violently it threw them all from their seats, some thudding hard against the trunk of supplies, others landed in a tangled heap on top of Greekaf's brittle corpse.

Sheppard had little idea where he'd landed for several long seconds. Though the cab of the vehicle had sheltered him from the shock in his collision with the perimeter, the open back of the truck had left him more exposed to the sonic pulse Sarayah had fired. The fact he didn't have the benefit of the ear defenders the others all had didn't help, either. For a while, he was engulfed by a deafening layer of confusion he just couldn't break free of. He was vaguely aware of shapes moving around him, and anxious sounds, but couldn't compose the fractured shards of information into anything resembling the full picture. By the time his senses did start returning, he was being dragged further up the slope like a rag doll by Solvaat and Teelac, who had each grabbed a handful of his jacket to pull him clear. Other than that, he could just make out Parhaadon close on their heels, shouting encouragement, while the others from the truck returned fire on Sarayah's last known position, the sound of their weapons still muffled by the sonic effects on his auditory system.

Their voices, little more than amorphous droning, had an edge of agitation to them, and when that registered it helped to stir him up. That and the needle Parhaadon jabbed in his neck as the others dropped him to the ground.

Sound from the world around suddenly exploded in his ears. 'Can you hear me now, Sheppard?' Parhaadon asked, grabbing hold of his face and making him focus on him.

All his senses came rushing back in a little faster than he was ready for, a sensation that left him thinking his head might implode at any moment. 'Whoa...what the hell'd you give me?'

'A stimulant to clear your senses, but I'm afraid it won't help much with the physical discomfort, and it only lasts for a short time. If she continues to strike with that weapon, she will knock you senseless again, that is why we must get you out of range.' He winced himself, and Sheppard realised that, although they'd been spared the sensory disruption, the physical impact had been the same for them as for him. That made sense since the sonic device Solvaat had used in his first interrogation had been focussed on his body not his auditory system. The size of the weapon Sarayah was using clearly impacted heavily on the body, even at quite a distance.

'The truck is dead,' Solvaat called to them, scouring the surrounding area with his eyes. 'We can't use it anymore.'

Just then, Parhaadon's radio crackled into life. 'This is Nuulas requesting assistance. We have a Wraith sighting. He has already fed upon two of my team, has taken their protective gear and weaponry, and is now firing on us. All available personnel head for my posi –.'

Nuulas was cut off before he could finish his request. They all knew what that meant; Sheppard could see the horror on their faces as the realisation sank in.

Parhaadon swallowed deeply, flicking his eyes toward Solvaat. 'Seems we cannot ask for assistance subduing Sarayah with Nuulas in such grave danger.'

'No one would make it here on time anyway. You will have to get him to the ring on foot. It's not all that far now, so you should be able to make it. We'll stay here and hold Sarayah off as long as we can to give you a head start – you get him out of here.'

Though clearly unsure, Parhaadon nodded, grabbing Sheppard's upper arm and tugging him away. He didn't want to go, he even said as much, but Parhaadon wouldn't have any of it, threatening to shoot him and drag him all the way to the ring on his face if he had to.

Sarayah was steadily working her way up the slope, hiding behind the various rocky outcrops and boulders naturally massed there, grinning as if relishing the fight. Sheppard could see the disastrous situation unfolding in front of him. She had a massively more powerful weapon than any of them carried. If the soldiers holding her at bay took many more hits, it would kill them. Parhaadon himself had said enough sonic disruption would do that to a person.

She let off another shot, and even though they were further away, Sheppard shuddered and doubled over with the effects again. It felt as if his insides were trembling uncontrollably – buzzing, in fact, and aching like he'd been punched all over. He hated to think what the guys further down the slope felt like if it was affecting him this way at that distance.

When Sarayah let off her next shot, Teelac fell to the ground, along with another couple of their troops. The colonel didn't know if they were dead, but they would be soon if she continued.

'Hand me over!' he yelled to Parhaadon. 'You're going to lose everyone here if you don't.'

'You are too valuable to lose. Thelbaar will demote me for certain if I do not get you to the great ring.'

Sheppard gaped at him, hardly able to believe what he was hearing. Downhill from them, he saw Solvaat and another man drop as Sarayah let off another shot at them. 'So you'd rather die?'

'Position is everything to us...I don't expect you to understand,' the man yelled at him.

'Damn right I don't! She's killing them. You can't just leave them like this!'

'Hand him over, Parhaadon, and I just might spare you,' Sarayah called to him, adding weight to Sheppard's argument. He didn't doubt she'd heard him – he knew her hearing was keen – but the glint in her eye suggested she had no intention of keeping her side of the bargain.

Parhaadon gave him a shove, sending him stumbling further up the bank. 'Go! Get yourself as far away from her as you can. I may still be able to take her down. I'll find you when I'm done.'

Sheppard hesitated, but figured the other guys were probably toast now anyway. They'd stood against Sarayah, and tried to stop her getting what she wanted; her mindset was such that she'd think that justified wiping them all out and dancing on their graves. He felt a moment of regret that he couldn't get Solvaat and Teelac out of there, they had, after all, shown him moments of kindness, but he had no means with which to fight Sarayah, and so no hope of helping them. Decision made, he took off up the slope as fast as his unsteady legs would carry him. He couldn't save the Atrascans, but he could damn well try to get himself out of there...except Parhaadon still had the crystal. _Crap!_

Reaching the peak of the rise, he turned one last time to see Sarayah lining him up in her sights. He flung himself to the ground and the shoot rippled through the air above him, making his whole body pulse with pain from the force of it even though it wasn't a direct hit. He could hear Parhaadon shouting to Sarayah, and smaller sonic thumps from his weapon, but suspected he was the only one still holding her at bay now. He wouldn't last long in the face of that kind of onslaught.

Still dizzy from the shock, Sheppard staggered back to his feet and began to run, his lungs burning with the effort of climbing the slope along with the stress the sonic weapon had put his body under. There were several caves eating their way back into the rocky rise running to his left, so he pushed himself on, heading for the last one and hoping he reached it before she caught sight of him. Beyond that lay masses of flat expanse until the next natural rise, dotted with nothing but the occasional shrivelled up shrub that had perhaps seeded and had the good fortune to benefit from some a rare rainy season, but after that had become parched and brittle in the unforgiving sun.

With his body protesting all the way, Sheppard forced himself on and stumbled through the final opening, peering out for just a few seconds to assure himself Sarayah hadn't reached the top of the ridge and spotted exactly where he went. Not that this place was by any means safe. If there was no other exit, it was little more than a trap he'd walked into. But he needed time to re-gather himself, time to think what he could do next when she stepped into that gaping, stony mouth.

He heard three more odd thumping sounds, glad his hiding place was beyond the actually effective range of Sarayah's weapon. After that, the world outside the cave fell silent. All he could hear was his own shaky breath rattling in and out of his heaving lungs. It was as if the whole planet had ground to a halt.

He held back in that cave, wondering if the silence meant she'd defeated the Atrascans, or whether they had stopped her and were in the process of restraining her before she could do any more damage. No, if that were the case she would be screaming like a banshee, and they would be yelling instructions to one another. His best hope was that she and Parhaadon had taken each other out simultaneously, but he knew that was unlikely.

His heart thundered hard against his ribs, partly due to the physical effort of reaching his hiding place, and partly because the uncertainty was killing him. Too curious to stay put, he began to edge forward, hoping to see something that would give him his answer. He peered out of the cave entrance, but saw nothing in any direction...nothing, that was, but rocks, sand, wide-open spaces, and dead plants. Had they somehow downed each other at the same time after all?

'John! I have the crystal right here in my hand, but you there's still the small matter of my recompense to settle.'

'No way!' he gasped, ducking back into the cave. He'd been hoping that, worst-case scenario, he would be able to evade Sarayah while she searched the other caves and sneak back to take the crystal from Parhaadon. Now, it seemed she'd been watching them when Parhaadon had taken possession of it, because it hadn't taken her long to claim it back from him herself.

So how long did he have to come up with a plan? That all depended on how well she knew him. If she thought about it, she would work out he would head for the cave furthest away to buy time, which meant she'd be turning up in that opening any time now. Dammit! Why hadn't he thought of that before? Because she always screwed up his thinking, that was why.

He backed up, letting the shadows swallow him while waiting for the inevitable silhouette to appear in the opening before him.

'C'mon, John, think of something,' he ordered himself. Then he hissed as his sore back thudded into something solid lurking behind him.

oooOOOooo

'How's it going back there, McKay?' Lorne asked, as they approached the Atrascan vehicle. Both it and the second truck heading for the gate had made a sudden change in direction a few minutes earlier, and though the major had at first been worried they had somehow detected their approach, it was clear they were now heading toward the stationary trucks they had chosen to ignore for the time being.

Except, as Rodney rescanned the whole area, he found there was only one signal there now. They'd managed to lose all trace of the other truck, much to his disgust. It was as if the vehicle had just disappeared. Whatever had happened to it, it looked like the others were planning to rendezvous, perhaps to head back to the gate, which was less than five miles from the stationary truck's position.

The truck they were tracking rumbled across the ground in front of them, kicking up a tremendous amount of dust as it moved, even though its speed was less than startling. The surrounding cloud obscured their view of the it, leaving them with even less chance of seeing inside to identify Sheppard if he were in there. That meant it was now imperative McKay completed his work.

'I need maybe another ten minutes,' he grunted, not taking his eyes off his screen.'

'Pity, 'cos we sure could use that scan right now. There's no way to see inside the truck.'

'We'll, I'm sorry, but I only have one pair of hands –' McKay squawked back at him, annoyed to be put under even more pressure than he already felt.

'Settle, Rodney. Losing your temper isn't going to make you work any faster,' Carson told him, giving him what could only be described as a patronising smile.

'Well, thank you for those pearls of wisdom, Carson. Got any other gems in your repertoire?' Rodney snorted, shaking his head as he returned to his work.

'Just get on with it, McKay,' Ronon growled, fixing him with his piercing gaze.

'Way to up the pressure...again,' Rodney protested, but he did as he was told all the same. Sheppard needed him to do this – he had to do this.

Lorne continued to circle the vehicles at a safe height while they waited for him to complete the reprogramming. But every minute took them closer to the gate. Rodney was just about to suggest they employ a stalling tactic when Teyla spoke up.

'Perhaps we could create some kind of distraction...something that might make them stop the vehicle and get out to investigate,' she suggested.

Lorne nodded. 'Might work. What were you thinking?'

'I am not certain. It needs to be something big enough for them to notice...'

'What about an explosion?' Ronon suggested.

'You're not thinking of firing on them? It'll give away our position,' Rodney sputtered, suddenly jolted out of his concentration again by his idea. Typical that Conan would think about blowing something up at a time like this.

'No!' the Satedan grunted glaring even more intensely. 'Besides, that would be too big a blast. We're not trying to kill them, just draw them out. We need something smaller.'

'So...like a grenade?' Lorne asked, slipping one from his Tac-Vest and passing it back to the Satedan.

'That's more like it,' the big man grinned, pushing up out of his seat. He ran to the rear hatch, lowering it, priming the grenade and tossing it out onto the desert plain several hundred yards in front of the first truck.

As Lorne swept their craft clear, the grenade detonated loudly enough to make McKay flinch. 'Never happier than when he's blowing stuff up,' he muttered, returning to his sensor reprogramming.

The truck changed direction slightly and headed toward the blast site, drawing to a stop a few metres away. A dozen or so troops jumped out of the back, and a driver left the cab, all wandering over to investigate the detonation.

'I can't imagine you could fit many more people in the back of that one,' Lorne mused. 'And I don't think they would have left Sheppard in there alone and unguarded.'

'So...not in that one,' Ronon concluded.

'Doesn't look like it,' Lorne agreed. 'We'll head over to the next one and check it out. 'Maybe we'll have that scan up and running by then, huh?'

Rodney looked up and scowled. 'Oh, so suddenly _we're_ doing this. I don't see any of you guys sweating it out over a hot laptop right now!'

'We appreciate your efforts, Rodney,' Teyla told him, but he knew empty flattery when he heard it. She was just trying to keep him sweet until he finished.

Huffing his indignation, he got right back to work. A moment later, the formulas all seemed to fall into place, and his laptop began displaying all the bearers of the ATA gene in the vicinity.

'Okay, we have a means to locate him,' he grinned triumphantly, '...and he's nowhere in the area. Widening the scan.'

He asked the jumper to check over a much broader radius from their position. Another dot appeared, one way back in the direction they'd already travelled in – one less around three miles from the Stargate.

'We got him,' Lorne said, as the information appeared on the HUD in front of him. 'He's stationary for the time being, so there's a chance we'll reach him in time before whoever's out there with him gets him to the 'gate. Okay, Jumpers Two and Five, I'm transferring the data to you. Let's go pick him up.'

For the first time in days, Rodney felt the tension knot in his stomach loosen just a little. They almost had him. All they had to do was reach him before the Atrascans covered the last three miles.

**A/N Again, thanks for all the supportive comments, they're what makes writing worthwhile. :D**


	29. Chapter 29

Sheppard didn't dare to believe what he felt as he slid his hands over the surface of what lay behind him. It was too dark to see, but the texture and form of the smooth metal planes was soothingly familiar in this harsh alien environment.

Feeling his way along the side, he recognised the contours of the jumper's body, refreshingly cold to the touch here in the depths of this cave. But how had it got there? Then he remembered what the Atrascans had said about there being a jumper missing from the Fortuna when they'd searched the ship. The captain of the vessel had been the only person conscious as it came down. Perhaps she'd survived and flown out here. But why hadn't she gone through the gate after removing the crystal from the DHD? Intriguing as that question was, he didn't have time to worry about those things. He had a jumper, but no way to get into it. That was his priority right now.

Unable to see there in the shadows, he slid his way round to the front to check the windshield, but it was still intact and sounded solid when he jumped up and thumped on it. He swore as he landed, the impact reminding him of his sorry condition and how much he needed this jumper. Since there was no breaking through the front, he headed back to the rear hatch, trying to get his fingers into the door seal, but he knew in his heart it was futile. Nothing, not even air, could get through those joints.

There had to be some way into it. The jumper was his ticket out of there; he wasn't going to give up on it just yet. He rounded it again, ready to kick the damn thing in frustration, when he stepped on something – something that didn't feel like a stone. With a grating, sand-grinding creak, the hatch buzzed into life. A remote? He picked up whatever it was that lay under his boot and scooted back to the hatch, squeezing in through the tight gap as it lowered and activating the internal control to order the hatch to close again. Around him, with each step toward the pilot seat he took, systems began to fire up, bringing with them that familiar sensation of welcome and belonging he had missed over the past few days. With the addition of light, he could see he was, indeed, clutching a remote in his palm. Captain Rushia had obviously dropped it out there in the cave; lucky for him she had.

The pilot seat was chilly beneath him as he sat down, but he guessed several thousand years parked in a cold, dark hole would do that. The air tasted stale, but was already beginning to clear as life support filtered it and brought the temperature inside to the optimum level.

Gripping the controls gave him an overwhelming sense of empowerment. He hadn't felt this safe in days. Sarayah had stripped him of his weapons, his senses, and his dignity, but now he had a real chance of getting the hell off this godforsaken planet a free man. He tested systems – flight, navigation, propulsion, weapons, they all responded to his thoughts. _Beautiful!_

As he ordered the jumper to fire up the engines, a holographic message sprung up beside him, almost scaring him out of his skin. It had obviously been rigged to play if anyone started up the jumper.

'This is Captain Rushia, of Lantean vessel Fortuna. My ship crashed here on Karafus along with a Wraith Hive Ship, with which we were doing battle. I was injured, but soon realised that many of the Wraith had survived the impact and were heading to my ship to feed upon survivors. Knowing I could not fight them alone, I launched this gateship and headed for the Stargate, removing the dialling system's control crystal. It was the only thing I could think to do. At least that way, if my people and I were to die on this planet, the Wraith would be trapped here, too.'

'Sorry, lady. Fascinating as all this is, I'm gonna have to make a move,' Sheppard muttered, ordering the jumper to rise from the cave floor and begin reversing out of the entrance. As he did so, the light from within the jumper illuminated the cave, and lying not far from where he'd stumbled across the remote, he spotted the crumbling skeleton of a humanoid form. She hadn't dropped the remote; she'd had it with her when she'd died. He gave her remains a cursory salute in thanks for the ship he was borrowing, hoping his good manners would bring him luck.

'I remained here, hoping to find an opportunity to return to the Fortuna and save others along with myself, but each time I flew there in my cloaked vessel, I found my ship heavily guarded by Wraith survivors. I landed nearby and made an attempt to get back on board to save anyone I could, but was spotted. On fleeing the area, this jumper took Wraith fire and was damaged, though not so badly that I could not affect my escape.'

Sheppard glanced up at her. 'At least you tried,' he replied, despite the fact she couldn't hear him. He broke out into the orange light of sunset, turning the ship round and ordering it to gain altitude.

'I brought the gateship to this cave to assess the damage. Though many systems were still working, I had lost shields and the ability to cloak, preventing me from returning to the Fortuna again.'

'Now you tell me,' Sheppard grunted. He tried to fire up the cloak, getting a negative sounding bleep in return. 'Crap!'

'Unfortunately, it seems my injuries are more serious than I at first thought, and my strength fails me. I will not leave this planet without my crew. If their fate is to die here, then it is a fate I am determined to share. I have destroyed the control crystal for the dialling device. Now, even if the Wraith find me, which I feel certain they will, they will not be able to leave this planet unless their brethren come to rescue them.'

Sheppard had to admit he liked her style. But more than that, now he had a jumper, he didn't need a crystal. He could dial the Stargate from the ship...as long as he could gain enough altitude to put himself out of Sarayah's weapon range. He just had to think of a friendly planet, whose population had the capability to contact Atlantis on his behalf...

A thud against the back of his craft shook the vessel, and for a moment, power levels dropped with a disheartening whine, then seemed to right themselves. The HUD flashed up, showing an area of damage on the rear of the jumper. As he studied it, it flickered, the vessel's power fluctuating again.

Sarayah...she was firing on him and the jumper was failing. _Dammit! C'mon – don't cut out on me now!_

He asked, or rather begged the craft for more speed and altitude, trying to put enough distance between himself and his crazy pursuer so her next shot would be too weak to make a difference, but the ship, already fading, couldn't respond quickly enough. Another thump, and the jumper lurched. The power dropped, and this time it didn't rise again. Nothing he tried worked; the craft plummeted and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Knowing he was coming in fast fast, Sheppard steered as best he could toward higher ground to reduce the momentum the craft was gaining. But he was still going to hit hard. He braced himself and waited for the inevitable crash...

*****

Flashing red light just visible through his closed eyelids was the first thing Sheppard became aware of, then a vague crackling sound reached his ringing eardrums. With his head pounding out a painful rhythm, his sense of self-preservation kicked in and alerted him to the fact neither of those things were good and he should get out as fast as he could.

Lifting his head from the control panel, he realised he'd sustained a pretty impressive case of whiplash, his neck now excruciatingly painful as he tried to move. But move he had to. Sparks were shooting out all around him, and there was a risk of fire or electrocution if he didn't get himself clear.

Somehow managing to get to his feet, he found his legs unwilling to move as fast as he needed them to or to completely support his weight. He stumbled, catching himself against the seat behind the pilot's chair, his head throbbing an angry protest. It was only then he realise how sticky the side of his face felt. When he reached up, his fingers found what he was certain was an unhealthy sized gash surrounded by a substantial swelling.

'Dammit!' he gasped, understanding now why he felt so unsteady. Then, knowing he couldn't allow his injuries to get the better of him, he forged on.

Sheppard fell out of the rear hatch rather than disembarked, scrambling back to his feet and swaying away from the jumper like a drunken reveller making his way home after a party. There was a distinct smell of burning in the air, and, worried the jumper could erupt into a fireball at any moment, he staggered away, falling down and picking himself up again numerous times as he headed toward the precipice of the landmass he'd crashed on to check the view. Hopefully, from that position, he could get his bearings and see how far he was from the 'gate.

As he reached the edge, he could see the familiar circular shape of the Stargate a little over two miles away in his estimation. Of course, the climb down would slow his progress considerably, not to mention his whiplash and threatening concussion on top of his older injuries. And, of course, he still didn't have a way to power up the DHD. This situation was not improving, no matter how much he tried to find a way out of it.

So, now he was outrunning Sarayah again. In the distance, he saw a truck trundling across the plains – another extermination party heading toward Nuulas' position. He figured he was far enough away not to be spotted by them this time, but with Sarayah still out there he would need to defend himself and tackle her for the control crystal. Though risking further injury, he headed back to the rear of the jumper to check for any ancient weapons the captain might have left on board.

The cockpit was now sporting several small fires, and since it had no power whatsoever, the usual extinguishing systems hadn't kicked in. Ignoring his various aches and pains as best he could, he forced open some of the rear compartments, rummaging through various boxes and cases, but coming up empty handed.

'Looking for something in particular?'

Sheppard's blood literally froze in his veins. He'd thought he would have a while before Sarayah caught up with him, but he hadn't considered the fact he might have been unconscious longer than he'd first thought.

'Yes, something to shoot you with,' he said, figuring it wasn't even worth trying to lie to her anymore. As he looked back at her, he could see her bloodied knees and hands, her trousers torn and the skin rubbed raw from the crawling she must have done in an attempt to follow him even while under the influence of her own drugs. Not even the draught had cancelled out her obsession. Could anything stop her?

'I thought so. Needless to say, I'm not too happy with that idea, so why don't you come back out into the open before this thing blows up and takes you with it.'

'Actually...I'd prefer to –'

A moment later, he was on the floor, starring up at the ceiling of the jumper. The view changed to a vermillion and violet sky as he slid from the ship, Sarayah's voice speaking but muffled by the disruption of his auditory system. The bitch had shot him again, he realised as his ability to process information began to slowly creep back to him, albeit with the smaller stunner. And now she was dragging him away from the jumper by his ankle...and on his damned back!

With his returning awareness and increasing pain came his determination to fight. He kicked the back of her knee with his free leg and sent her spilling to the ground.

He tried to roll to his hands and knees and get up, but was still too shaken by the sonic pulse. His muscles quivered with effort, but simply wouldn't support him. Before he could rise, she leapt on his back, flattening him to the floor. She was clearly determined to leave no skin on his back at all before this was over.

Flipping him onto his back left him writhing in agony beneath her, not that he had expected any sympathy. She certainly didn't show him any, wresting with his flailing arms as he desperately tried to push her off. He had little left to fight with, the reserves he'd been surviving on for the past few hours now almost spent while she grew ever stronger, fuelled by his distress. She subdued his attempts to free himself with ease, laughing as he screamed in pain and frustration. He had done everything possible to get rid of her except kill her. Was that what it would take?

Once she had him overpowered she rolled him onto his front again, sitting on him and leaning in close to taunt him. 'I think it's time to get you back under control, pretty one,' she hissed in his ear, and he felt the first half of her set of restraints snapping shut around his right wrist.

Something inside him snapped, and with it another unknown reserve of determination revealed itself._ No way are you getting those damn things on me! _he thought, bucking her off his back, screaming out as he felt his injuries tear apart with the force of the movement.

He scrambled away as she righted herself, the restraints dangling from his right arm. Rising on shaky legs, he snapped the other side shut to make it harder for her to get them on him. She would have to open it first, and he wasn't planning on giving her time to do that.

'I see you've changed your mind,' she smirked, edging toward him. 'I thought you'd decided to leave with me. It seems you prefer Atrascan company now.'

'Well, your deal turned out to be a bit rich for my taste,' he explained, wiping blood from his right eye as he backed off. The fighting was causing him to lose blood faster from his head wound, and his legs felt uncertain beneath him, wobbling as he took a few steps and forcing him to stop until he could steady himself.

'Just give up, John,' she purred, circling around him. 'You know you cannot win.'

He kept turning to face her, his head pounding and his vision twirling with the motion. He noticed now she had something hanging from her belt, several somethings that hadn't been there earlier. It took him longer than it should have to work out what they were, then it dawned on him that they were the bound ponytails of the Atrascans. Victory trophies.

When she began walking toward him again, he retreated, keeping her at a safe distance. 'I told you before, my friends call me that, and I can say with absolute certainty you will never be a friend of mine.'

'All I want is you, John,' she continued, ignoring his complaint. 'The Atrascans will hurt so many more people if they take you, but if you come with me...who knows...you might even grow to appreciate my company.'

Sheppard sputtered out a laugh, still backing up. 'If you and I were the only two people left in the universe, the human race would die with us,' he assured her.

She stopped, a satisfied smirk spreading across her face, and he suddenly realised she'd distracted him and backed him into a corner. Her movements had driven him onto an outcrop of rock with a steep drop on the three sides other than in the direction she stood. If he hadn't been so disorientated and exhausted he would have realised what she was doing, but he'd made a mistake...a mistake he was pretty sure she would waste no time in taking advantage of.

She pulled her gun and walked toward him a few more paces. 'I think you know your running time is over. You have two choices, death or to leave with me – even you aren't foolish enough to think death is the better option. Unless of course you'd prefer to wait for the Atrascans to pick you up and take you back to experiment with. But somehow, I don't think galactic betrayal is your thing.'

This woman might be as mad as a box of frogs, but she sure as hell had him worked out. He already felt bad about Solvaat and his troops, and they were the enemy to all intents and purposes. He stepped back a little way – as far as he dared – to check how big a drop lay beyond the edge.

'It's too far to jump,' she told him. 'I just climbed up it, so I should know.'

How do I know you're not lying about what the Atrascans want me for?' he demanded.

'I may have told you a few lies over the past few days, but that wasn't one of them. The Atrascans really do plan to collect Ancient technologies to fortify their army...including the defence weapon from Medulsa.'

He gaped at her in disbelief. 'You sold out your own people?'

'They exiled me! What do I care for their safety,' she screeched. Then she composed herself. 'Walk toward me, John. We don't want any unfortunate accidents.'

He stayed there, balancing on the edge, contemplating whether or not it might still be the better option.

'Come on, John. Come away from the edge,' she beckoned, her eyes burning with the anticipation of having him in her clutches once more. 'Unless you plan to wait there until the Wraith turns up in the hope it finishes this for you. We could have quite a wait in our hands, but I'm fairly confident I could outrun it far better than you could.'

He hated to admit it, but she had a point. The Wraith was busy right now, but it could easily find them if it followed the track marks from the truck. He was out of options. He raised his eyes to the sky, waiting for some kind of divine inspiration, but that wasn't what he saw. What he actually saw was something flying in the sky behind her, coming in fast. Though it looked like nothing more than a black dot for a start, it soon became apparent it was much, much more than that.

Apparently seeing the change in his expression, Sarayah turned and ducked, leaving him the only remaining target as the huge bird-like creature swooped in to pick him up. Trying to avoid its grasping talons, Sheppard lost his balance, the world suddenly falling away from him and turning over in a dizzying display of swirling colours and rushing air until he hit something solid with a sickening crunch.

Silence.

Sheppard lay very still. He hadn't fallen the full distance, just about forty-feet onto a ledge, but it had been far enough. With the wind knocked out of him, he was too shocked to feel anything for a start. Then, he saw the bird go plummeting down nearby, careening down to the desert floor below. At least he didn't have to worry about that thing anymore.

'SHEPPARD!'

Sarayah's panic-laced voice split the air. He couldn't respond...didn't want to even try. Maybe if he closed his eyes and lay real still she would think he was dead and leave him alone at last. Then what? Then, he would die out there, alone and in pain, possibly slowly over hours or days. That didn't sound so good after all. There had to be another option.

His mind phased out for a moment, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw Sarayah halfway down the rock face, climbing down to him. Damn! His plan hadn't worked. But he was pretty sure he was dying. Why the hell wouldn't she just let him be?

New pains began to announce themselves, one in his side and an incredibly excruciating throbbing in his shin that told him he had bone jabbing into raw nerves down there. He tried to sit up and get a look at the damage, but that only worsened the sensation in his side so that became the dominant problem. He would have gasped, but he couldn't find the air to do it.

Lying back, his mind drifted again. The next time he became conscious of what was happening again, Sarayah was right there beside him.

'Sheppard! SHEPPARD! Stay awake!' she yelled, shaking him vigorously and awakening a variety of agonies both new and old through his battered body.

'Not...helping!' he gasped, wondering why he still couldn't get his breath. He could hear a high-pitched wheeze accompanying his attempts to get more air, and the side of his shirt was now sticky and warm. Medicine wasn't his area of expertise, but he was certain none of that wasn't a good sign. Maybe it wouldn't take days after all.

'Don't even think about dying, Sheppard. I won't let you get away from me.'

He stared up at her in disbelief, her face coming in and out of focus with his waning consciousness. Was she actually so crazy she thought he had a choice in this? The sound of his own laboured breathing told him no amount of determination would get him through this. This was one fight he was going to lose very soon.

He felt his eyes involuntarily roll back, but she shook him again, yelling and screaming that he wouldn't get away from her – that she would find a way to follow him. This was not how he wanted it to end, his cold dead body left in the hands of a lunatic and never laid to rest.

Unexpectedly, a breeze stirred the dust around them and he thought he could hear a familiar buzz. Surely, it couldn't be...When a jumper de-cloaked, hovering next to them, he pretty much figured it was an hallucination due to lack of oxygen. There was no way their timing could be that sweet. He just wasn't _that_ lucky.

Then the rear hatch dropped and Ronon was there, pulling the spitting, hissing, possessed monstrosity away, his expression almost as feral as hers, and making room for Carson and Teyla, the former starting a rudimentary check of Sheppard's vitals, while the later gripped his hand and spoke gently to him.

'We're here, John. You're going to be all right.'

This felt real, and the pain when Carson stepped up his treatment was certainly intense. If this was an hallucination, shouldn't he be giving himself a break from all this agony?

'Pulse rapid, blood pressure falling, blue tinge around the lips. Does it hurt to breathe, Colonel?' he heard a soft Scottish voice ask.

'Yeah,' he gasped, unable to take a deep enough breath to ease his desperation.

'Any back or neck pain?'

'Can't...tell. Everything...hurts,' he grunted.

'All right. We'd better take precautions.' Carson slipped a neck brace on him then asked Teyla to help roll him onto his side so they could keep his spine as immobilised as possible and slide a backboard beneath him. 'Let's have a listen to those lungs while we've got you like this,' Sheppard felt him push his shirt up to examine him. 'Dear lord, she's done it to him again! I can't hear anything through those dressings...let's get him on his back again and I'll listen to his chest.'

Teyla helped to keep him straight as they returned him to his original position, now with a smooth board beneath him instead of the rocky ground. The doctor opened what fasteners remained on the colonel's shirt and Sheppard felt a sharp sting as his fingers found the injury in his side. 'That doesn't look good, son,' the doctor sighed. 'Let's have a listen.' The cold metal of a stethoscope pressed against his hot flesh, and he flinched at the contact. Carson steadied him. 'I think we're looking at a tension pneumothorax. Bear with me, Colonel. Teyla, I need you to put your hand over that injury in his side to stop any more air getting in. Can you do that for me?'

She must have, because the pain increased a few notches and he could only just hear her trying to comfort him as he rode the crest of it.

His mind phased out again, and when he came to a few minutes later Carson was pressing a dressing over the injury. 'Okay, that should do it.' Seemingly satisfied with the covering, he pulled out a large syringe from his medical kit. For a moment, Sheppard forgot who was with him, seeing the faces of Atrascans he'd thought dead now floating before him, and he tried to pull away. It took a few moments for his confusion to clear as they held him firm and talked him round. Realising he was still with Carson and Teyla, he relaxed again. The doctor's bright blue eyes sought out the colonel's, waiting until he was sure he was focussing on him. 'Don't worry, son. We've got you now. I need to remove some of the oxygen pressing in on your left lung, Colonel. I'll be as quick as I can.'

Sheppard mumbled his agreement, feeling the sharp prick as the needle pierced somewhere between his ribs, then the pressure in his chest eased, air filling his deprived lung again. With that improvement, he became more aware of other things, like Rodney's pale face now hovering just behind Carson's shoulder.

'Is he gonna be all right?'

'Hopefully, Rodney...if you let me work. Okay, Colonel Sheppard. I'm going to get a line in and give you some pain meds. Then, I need to set that leg. Don't worry, son. You won't know a thing about it.'

Sheppard let him do his thing without complaint, just happy to be in the hands of friends...even if they were just his failing mind's way of making bringing him some comfort in his last moments of life. A stabbing pain in his hand was shortly followed by a cool rush in his vein, and it wasn't long before darkness enveloped him in its comforting embrace. Now he really could give up...

* * *

**A/N Yay! Rescued! I know this isn't the way some of you wanted Sarayah stopped, but I have other plans for her yet. So what now for Sheppard and Sarayah? Thanks for the comments. Glad to hear your thoughts. :D**


	30. Chapter 30

The next few days were what Sheppard could only describe as purgatory. When he'd come round from surgery, he'd found himself in a side room in the infirmary with a strapping around his chest that seriously restricted his movement and made breathing feel like a completely unnatural pressure. He'd also acquired a chest tube, which Carson insisted had to stay in place for a further two days until they could be sure all the air had drained from his chest cavity, and his lung had stabilised and would continue to hold its own.

Carson kept him on the good stuff most of the time, and although he didn't listen much to his rambling, he did pick up something about broken ribs, a broken leg and a punctured lung and sucking chest wound, along with the obvious lacerations bruises and inflamed organs from the sonic weapons. He felt terrible, and really didn't care what was wrong with him; he just longed for the day when he would wake up and feel better.

Sleep was his best friend during that time – that and his IV line – the moments of unconsciousness relieving both his exhaustion and the tedium. He knew he was probably the expedition's worst patient bar Ronon...and perhaps McKay for completely different reasons...but he couldn't imagine anyone not being bored rigid in the confines of an infirmary bay.

Often when he woke, one of his team would be there at his bedside; Ronon catching up on rest himself, Rodney working frenetically on his laptop as always, and Teyla, who alternated between sleeping and holding his hand with a reassuring smile. Sometimes they spoke to him for short periods, but he felt so doped up he couldn't do much more than smile in the right places for a few minutes then fall asleep again. They kept him up to date on what was happening in the rest of the city, and one time Rodney regaled him with the tale of how Ronon had sat on Sarayah in the jumper on the way back to Atlantis until Carson could give her enough sedative to knock her out. Then having realised he'd picked a bad topic, he'd bombarded him with statistics from one of his latest projects until the sheer boredom of it had lulled him back to sleep. Each time they spoke with him he felt they were waiting for him to say something, something specific that they constantly skirted around, but he didn't have the energy to make conversation or work out what it was.

On the fourth day, when Carson woke him by shoving a thermometer in his ear during one of his routine checks, he found Elizabeth smiling down on him, too.

'Oh, so you do wake up sometimes,' she smirked, letting Carson complete his checks before pulling up a seat.

'Only when some inconsiderate medic tries to perforate my eardrum,' he grumbled. When the doctor's concerned blue eyes flashed up to his, he gave him a lop-sided smile. 'Just kidding.'

'I should think so to, you ungrateful bugger!' Carson joked. 'You have no idea how much work I've had to put in to sorting you out this time. You're a full time job, lad.'

'Sorry, Doc. I'll try not to get into so much trouble next time,' he promised.

'I'll believe that when I see it,' he snorted, squeezing Elizabeth's shoulder as he passed her to give them some space.

'So, how're you feeling? Better than you look, I hope,' she asked, frowning as her eyes wandered over his face, which he had to admit felt like it had been used as a football.

He felt a welling of anger that she was so concerned now when it was all over, despite the fact she hadn't listened when he needed her to, but was too tired to go down that route right now. 'I'm a little sore, but...you know...' he mumbled, keeping it short.

'Yeah, I can imagine,' she replied, making herself comfortable beside him. Clearly his curtness hadn't deterred her desire to talk to him. 'Look, I'm glad you're awake because there are quite a few of us feeling pretty bad about what happened and...well...I for one wanted to apologise for what you've been put through these past few days.'

Sheppard knew he was still on meds, but he wasn't sure if it was them confusing him or not. She'd said a number of them felt bad. Elizabeth's guilt he understood, but he had no idea why anyone else should be worried. He quirked an eyebrow by way of asking what she meant.

'Well, for a start, I pretty much blackmailed you into going to that celebration on Medulsa to cement relations between us and them –'

He gave a slight shrug. 'You had your rea –'

'Let me finish,' she insisted. 'I had no right to go behind your back and set up your return to Medulsa. I'm sure I could have used my skills to broker things without you having to go there. I guess I really didn't take the threat from Sarayah, or the effect she might have had on you, seriously enough.'

Sheppard chewed his lip, not really knowing what to say. It had taken two years and his near death to open people's eyes to how unnerving his experience with Sarayah had been, but then, he figured since he was the master of masking his emotions, he was just as much to blame as they were for leaving the matter unresolved. He'd felt like he deserved an apology for the flippant way they'd treated him following his last ordeal, but now he was getting it, it seemed he wasn't very good at dealing with other people's remorse. Old habits meant he found himself trying to put her at ease, taking the pain on board himself as usual.

'Okay...much as I am pissed about the whole leaving me out of the loop thing when you sent Lorne to Medulsa, you did try to make sure Sarayah wouldn't be there for the celebration, so you couldn't have known this would happen.'

'Yeah, well, I've been telling myself that for the past few days, but I'm not really buying it. I forced the situation –'

'Sarayah wanted to get back at me, Elizabeth. If it hadn't happened now, she would have found another way to reach me.'

She smiled weakly, and nodded. 'Perhaps you're right. But I still should have handled things better between us. I thought you were being stubborn about Medulsa, but I realise it was much more than that now. Sometimes you're so good at internalising your feelings I don't always realise how much things bother you.'

He knew that was the truth. He'd become adept at covering his hurt feelings since the incident with Senator Laurel, something this experience had rather painfully dragged to the forefront of his memory again. 'What does everyone else feel bad about?' he asked, changing the subject.

'Rodney feels bad that he turned down your invitation to join him at the celebration, and that he couldn't come up with a way to locate you sooner.'

'We'll I somehow doubt things would have turned out any differently if he'd been there,' Sheppard pointed out. 'Ronon and Teyla were there with me, and I still got kidnapped.'

'Which is something they feel bad about,' she added.

'But I left the village alone to go to the jumper. I ordered them to stay at the celebration. And even if they had come with me, they would probably have been shot. How can they feel bad?'

'Because they think they should have insisted you didn't leave alone. They feel they allowed the sense of celebration to dull their, how did they put it, "natural perceptiveness".'

'That's ridiculous,' he muttered, trying to push himself into a more comfortable position. 'None of us were expecting trouble. With Sarayah off-world, there was no reason to suspect anything bad would happen.'

Elizabeth stood and propped him up with several rearranged pillows. 'Well, they can't help how they feel. I'm sure seeing you here and recovering will help them put those feelings to rest...eventually.'

'Now that I'll be glad to help them with. Don't suppose Carson has given you any clues about how long I'm likely to be here?'

'It takes as long as it takes, John. You were pretty beat up. Don't expect too much too soon. Okay?'

With a sigh, he nodded his compliance. 'Okay.'

'And if I ever try to take shortcuts with decision making again, remind me of this.'

'Don't worry, I will,' he assured her.

He fell silent for a moment, but one unasked question still hung between them. 'So, what's gonna happen to Sarayah now?'

Elizabeth face fell, the sparkle leaving her eyes. 'I was hoping you wouldn't ask me that just yet,' she sighed, rubbing at her furrowed brow.

'Why?' he demanded, his fairly relaxed mood suddenly changing to gut knotting tension. Was she leaving him out of the loop again?

'I tried every avenue of persuasion I could think of to convince the Medulsans to let us handle Sarayah our way, but because they know she's betrayed the secret of their Wraith defence system to the Atrascans, they're insistent they should be allowed to deal with her under Medulsan law...and, to be honest, I can see their point. She is one of their kind. We protested enough when they treated you according to their laws two years ago. Telling them they have no right to take her back to their world would be kind of hypocritical.'

Sheppard didn't know how to feel about that news. Part of him was glad because it meant there would never be any cause for him to deal with her again, but another part saw the sense in having her held somewhere he considered safe. Still, since the decision was out of their hands, he accepted Elizabeth's point. 'Sooner she's gone the better. What's her punishment?'

'Apparently, Alishia plans to put her into service for the village, under strict control of course. She'll be made to repay the Medulsans for her betrayal through a kind of community service, and every night she'll be locked up and under watch. I doubt she'll be able to take a bathroom break without asking permission from now on.'

It seemed a fitting sentence for a control-freak like her. Ironic that the woman who needed to take charge of others would now be made to serve them. 'She's not going to like that.'

Elizabeth couldn't suppress a smirk. 'I think that's the point. And we're going to make sure she receives treatment for her "condition". Kate plans to give her therapy and Carson is already working out a drug regime to keep her more aggressive tendencies in check.'

'Doped up and compliant,' he nodded, pleased with that thought. 'Sounds appropriate. Anyway, I haven't had chance to ask how you guys found me.'

Elizabeth looked pleased to change the subject. 'Well, I have to confess our methods weren't entirely orthodox. The Genii gave us some clues that led to the Atrascans, and when it became clear negotiations would get us nowhere with them, we had to resort to...underhand tactics.'

'Underhand tactics?' he smirked. 'That doesn't sound like you.'

'Well, to be honest, it wasn't my idea. Ronon and Major Lorne put the suggestion to me, and by that time we were getting pretty desperate.'

'So what did you do?'

'We kidnapped a team of Atrascan soldiers who were trying to bully the Medulsans into giving them our address. Then we applied a certain amount of...pressure. Or rather Ronon did'

He raised his eyebrows. He knew exactly the sort of pressure Ronon would have applied. 'Oh, wow! Well, if it's any consolation it apparently worked.'

'Yes it did. And later today we intend to let them 'gate back to their home world, with no further repercussions.'

'So, we're not going to step in and stop this crazy scheme they have to acquire Ancient tech?'

She gave him a pained smile. 'I'm not so sure we're going to need to. Our long range scanners have picked up several Wraith vessels headed toward the planet, expected to arrive there in a little over two days. Even though we've alerted the prisoners to the threat, they're determined to go back there and fight alongside their people. Seems all the recent 'gate activity and troop movements on their planet have brought them some unwanted attention.'

'I know how that feels,' he muttered, then averted his gaze.

'On the plus side, all this has built a tremendous bond between us and the Medulsans. They were a great help in gathering information and helping us to capture Danteeras's son. I think they're going to be pretty happy to let us stay in touch with them this time.'

'So, we get to study the Anti-Wraith gun?'

'Eventually...I hope,' she nodded. 'I'm not going to push them on it, but I'm pretty sure Alishia will already know how important that is to us.'

'Yeah. She's a smart woman.'

'That she is,' Elizabeth agreed. 'As much as I regret everything that's happened to you, I think the Medulsans will prove good friends to have out here in Pegasus...well...most of them will.'

'Absolutely.'

'Sarayah's been asking about you.'

That piece of news wasn't exactly a surprise to him. He didn't look up when he asked, 'What'd you tell her?'

'Nothing. Everyone is under strict instructions not to discuss you with her at all.'

He did look up at that comment. 'Really?'

She nodded. 'I asked Dr Heightmeyer to assess her and...let's just say her findings were pretty disturbing. She appears to be not only a sociopath, but also suffers from extreme paraphiliac urges.'

'Okay. Sociopath, I get. You lost me on the other part,' he admitted.

Elizabeth cleared her throat, her cheeks flushing with colour. 'Perhaps I should ask Kate to drop by and explain this to you –'

'I'd prefer it if you did...she might try to analyse me or something.'

She held his gaze for a moment or two, then dropped her eyes to her hands, which now lay, fingers knitted together, in her lap. 'Paraphilia is a title given to a range of psychological disorders that manifest themselves as...' she paused, pursing her lips and quite obviously choosing her words very carefully, '...sexually deviant behaviour.'

He blinked, and swallowed the lump of embarrassment he felt about to choke on. Maybe this would have been better coming from a psychologist rather than his commander. 'Riiigghhhtt,' he drawled, hoping that was the end of it.

'It appears she enjoys the domination and humiliation of her victims, something much more commonly found in men than women because of the mental and physical strength required to completely subjugate someone, but certainly not unheard of. Right now, she's fixated on you, probably because your humiliation has never been completed to her satisfaction. That's why Kate has told none of us to speak to her about you. If she were to hear how ill you've been as a result of her actions, she probably find that...' Another pause for thought. '...gratifying.'

He grimaced at the insinuation. 'Okay, I think I got the picture,' he said, stopping her from providing him with any more details.

'Well, I did say it might be better coming from Kate,' she half-apologised. Then, her face now aglow, she asked, 'Is there anything we should know about this latest episode with her?'

He frowned, not sure what she was getting at, then it dawn on him that she was asking him how far Sarayah had got with her ill intentions. He realised now that was what the question the others had wanted to ask and hadn't dared to. They were worried she'd taken advantage of him.

'Nothing happened,' he told her flatly, having no desire to discuss what she had or hadn't achieved.

'That's good...that's really good...because that's not what she's been telling Kate...'

'I'm not lying!' he shot back at her, growing instantly agitated.

'No, John. I'm not suggesting you are. I think I know which one of the two of you to trust.'

He played those words over in his head, squinting at her. 'By that, you mean me, right?' he asked.

'Of course I mean you. You know, we're going to have to find a way to trust one another again after all this, so I just wanted you to know...well, if you need to talk to anyone...'

'I don't.'

She looked a little hurt by the force of his assertion. 'So, you don't want to see her at all?'

'Sarayah? No!' he almost choked out.

'I meant Kate, actually.'

Embarrassed by his outburst, he dropped his eyes. 'Right, uhm, no...not right now.'

'Why am I not surprised to hear you say that?' she said sadly, standing up. 'Anyway, you look beat, so I'm going to leave and let you get some rest.'

'When does she go to Medulsa?' he called after her, just as she reached the door.

Elizabeth turned to face him again. 'Why so interested?'

'Just want to know when I can rest easy again,' he joked, 'knowing I'm not going to wake up and find her beside my bed boiling bunnies.'

'We wouldn't let that happen, John. Trust me, she's locked up good and secure until she leaves at 1400 hours tomorrow.'

oooOOOooo

Sheppard checked his watch – 15:37 – in less than 24 hours she would be out of his hair. He could cope for that long.

'If you think I'm going to let you out of this infirmary, you're an even bigger idiot that I thought,' Carson protested, trying to stop Sheppard taking off his scrubs and changing into the uniform now laid out on his bed. 'And who brought that in here anyway? I'd like to give them a piece of my mind, let me tell you.'

Sheppard checked his watch for the two hundredth time at least that day. 'Carson, I don't have time to argue about this. I have to be down in the 'gate room in ten minutes, so either help me get dressed so I don't do myself any damage, or leave me to it. Either way, I'm going.'

Carson shook his head in utter disbelief and helped him to pull up his trousers. 'You must be feeling rough to let me help you do this,' he grumbled.'

'Ribs are hurting, so I can't use my left arm yet,' he said letting Carson give them the good tug they needed to slide on over his cast. 'And how long before I can get this damn thing off my leg because it itches like crazy when I get hot?'

'Another two and a half weeks at least,' Carson told him. 'It's a broken bone, not a bruise, Colonel.'

Trousers in place, Carson helped him slip the top half of the scrubs over his head, then levered the T-shirt on to cover his battered torso. His clothes were immaculate. He figured Teyla had pressed them herself before bringing them to him. She'd taken some persuading, but when he'd explained his reasons for wanting them, she'd agreed to collect them for him on the understanding he didn't tell Carson of her involvement.

Carson tried to help him tuck his shirt in, but backed off when Sheppard glared a silent warning that he could do that much himself. He stood back and watched the colonel, arms folded over his chest.

'How do I look?' Sheppard asked him.

'Like crap, but I'm sure that won't stop you seeing this stupid idea through. I'll go and fetch you a wheelchair –' Sheppard was about to complain, but Carson was having none of it. 'Listen, it's nothing short of a bloody miracle I'm letting you do this at all. So don't even think about refusing a chair,' the doctor warned him, disappearing off without another word.

Sheppard sat on the edge of the bed, exhausted even from that limited burst of activity. Much as he hated to admit it, Carson was right. He couldn't walk to the gate room; he needed a chair.

A few moments later, Carson returned with his transport and helped him into it, extending a footrest to support his broken limb. The colonel sighed, but knew further protest would be futile.

Carson quickly took him to the transporter, from where they were almost instantaneously taken to the correct floor for the 'gate room. 'I honestly don't know why I let you talk me into this,' Carson muttered as they crossed the last few hundred feet of corridor.

'Because you're a good friend, Carson,' Sheppard told him sincerely.

'Aye, well, I'm not so sure. A good friend would be telling you to stay away from that woman, not helping you down here so you can wave her off.'

'Trust me, Carson, there'll be no waving,' Sheppard told him. 'Stop here!'

They'd reached the open doorway of the 'gate room, and Sheppard didn't want him to go any further.

Carson walked to the doorway and peered inside, then looked round at him. 'Is this it? Don't you want to go inside? Oh, no you bloody well don't!'

That last remark, as Sheppard well knew, was in response to the fact he was now trying to push himself up out of his chair. Carson's added weight pushed him back down into the seat. 'C'mon, Carson. It's just a few yards!' he pleaded.

'Absolutely not. Do you want that leg to mend or not? Not to mention the fact the rest of your body has barely had time to recover from your ordeal.'

Sheppard tried his best puppy-dog eyes on his Scottish friend, hoping it would melt his heart. 'Please, Carson. This is important to me. I have to walk in there. I need to see her go, and I need her to see...to see I'm not beaten.'

Carson stared down at him, and his expression softened. 'Aye, I suppose I understand that. Let me ask someone to bring a crutch down for...I don't bloody believe it!'

Sheppard turned stiffly in his seat, worried the security team escorting Sarayah to Medulsa might have taken a different route to the one he expected them to use and they were now approaching him. Instead, he saw Ronon walking up the corridor from the transporter, carrying a crutch.

'Thought you might need one of these,' he rumbled, joining Carson in front of his chair.

'Are you two in cahoots or something?' Carson demanded. 'How on earth did you know he'd need one of those?'

'I found out he'd left the infirmary with you in a chair, and figured where you'd be taking him. I knew I wouldn't want to be seen in a wheelchair if I was him, so I asked for one of these. Got some funny looks, but no one refused.'

'No, I imagine not many people refuse you anything, son,' Carson joked. 'Come on then, Colonel. Let's get you on your feet.'

Gritting his teeth in preparation, Sheppard let them lift him up and steady him until he got his breath back. Then Ronon shoved the crutch under his right arm ribs and he was good to go...kind of.

'Now mind you stick close to him,' Carson warned the Satedan. 'If he starts falling, I want you to catch him before he hits the floor. I'm not sure his body could take another blow like that!'

'Will do, Doc,' Ronon promised and as Sheppard took his first couple of tentative steps, he stuck right by him.

Once inside the 'gate room, the troops facing him immediately noticed his entrance, and a murmur stuck up, rippling through them to the extent it caught the attention of Elizabeth, Rodney and Teyla, who stood pretty much centre stage awaiting the arrival of the prisoner.

Teyla smiled warmly and dipped her head in acknowledgement, but the other two were far more shocked, having had no idea of his plans.

'My God, John. What are you doing here?' Elizabeth gasped.

'Carson, what the hell are you thinking?' Rodney demanded, is face turning almost puce. 'This is just about the last place he should be right now.'

'No, Rodney. This is the only place I can be,' Sheppard insisted, struggling for breath with the exertion of his efforts. 'I need to see her go.'

'But you can't –'

Elizabeth grabbed Rodney's arm and silently shook her head, flicking her eyes toward the other entranceway to the room. The security party was just arriving, Sarayah in their midst.

Major Lorne, who headed them up, looked momentarily stunned to see his CO on his feet, then stopped and saluted him as they arrived in front of the Stargate. Sheppard flashed him a brief smile, moved by the display of respect, but unable to reciprocate in kind. He dipped his head and hoped it would do.

He turned his attention then to the woman who had once again battered his defences, leaving him fit only for the infirmary. Their eyes met, and for a moment, no emotion registered on her face at all, Carson's medications keeping her reactions muted. Then, the spark returned to her dark orbs and, very slowly, she began to smile.

'Dial it up,' Elizabeth ordered, apparently keen to send her on her way.

Lorne tried to turn Sarayah to face the 'gate, but she wouldn't be budged, staring Sheppard down the whole time with that infuriating grin splitting her face.

'What is wrong with you?' Rodney demanded. Elizabeth tried to silence him again, but this time he was determined to have his say. 'No I will not bite my tongue. That woman is a freak and someone has to tell her that.'

Sheppard winced at his outburst, recognising the flare of anger it ignited in their prisoner. But the moment passed and her attention was soon back on him.

The wormhole engaged, and Lorne took hold of her arm, dragging her toward it, Sarayah all the time watching Sheppard over her shoulder. Just before they reached the event horizon, she broke her silence.

'I'll be seeing you again, John,' she grinned, her eyes still locked in his even as the major tugged her through the 'gate.

The event horizon shut down, successful ending the moment.

'Yeah, well, good riddance to that fruit loop,' McKay muttered, shuffling past Sheppard and out of the room without even looking at him again.

'And with those few words, Rodney McKay sets back the cause of removing the stigma from mental illness several decades,' Elizabeth smirked as she turned to Sheppard herself now. 'Get yourself back to the infirmary, John. It's all over now.'

_Is it? _he heard a voice inside his head ask. Sarayah certainly didn't seem to think so.

'You did well, Colonel. You stood strong before her. I am proud of you,' Teyla told him, gently placing her hands on his shoulders, and dipping her head in the traditional Athosian sign of friendship.

He touched his forehead to hers, his neck twinging from the whiplash. 'Thanks, Teyla.'

'Come on, buddy. Let's get you back to the infirmary,' Ronon said, gesturing toward the door.

'Just gimme a minute, would you?' Sheppard asked, seeing both his and Carson's wary expressions. 'Please? I'm not about to make a bolt for it.'

Ronon glanced at Carson and waiting for him to signal it was okay. 'Aye, all right, son. We'll fetch the chair to you in a minute.'

'Thanks, Doc.'

He listened to the footsteps of them and the other security troops leaving, glancing up at the control room and spotting Chuck looking back at him. The technician smiled then looked away, getting on with whatever pressing task he had to do next.

Sheppard waited for a sense of calm to descend on him, but it didn't come. He'd thought getting rid of Sarayah and being back among his friends would ease his anxiety, but it still bubbled beneath the surface. Part of him was angry at himself for hating Sarayah so much when she was genuinely ill, and he felt he should be more tolerant of her because of that. But she'd touched on some raw nerves, and opened up old wounds he'd thought completely healed over, and now he felt...exposed.

It would take time to re-bury those feelings, but eventually he would find a way to control the sense of loneliness and bitter disappointment those memories had gouged into his spirit once again. For now, he would concentrate on physical recovery, though, because Sarayah had once again sapped him of the strength and the will to do anything else. Senator Laurel and his father had no hold over him now, and neither did she. She was gone from Atlantis and under Medulsan control now. He never had to see her again if he chose not to. He couldn't foresee a situation that would make him want to, that was for sure.

With fatigue now threatening to collapse his legs beneath him, he signalled over to his friends hanging back in the doorway, waiting for him. With Sarayah now gone, he finally let the weakness show, Ronon bearing his weight as he lowered him back into the chair and they set of back to the infirmary. Much as he normally hated the place, right now he knew it was where he needed to be. Recovery would take time, and more patience than he suspected he had. But he was back amongst friends. If anyone could lift his spirits and help to put these painful experiences behind him, it was them.

Now, he just had to find a way to silence his father's voice once and for all so he could let them in to help.

**A/N So, there it is, the end...for now. A big thank you to Sterenyk Strey for the encouragement to write this when I wasn't sure whether to bother, for casting an eye over the story to make sure I didn't have any gaping plot holes, and for sorting me out where my dialogue was too British! All mistakes are, of course mine, and hopefully I made enough additions to keep it interesting on the second read for you.**

**To everyone else, I hope you all enjoyed the journey and thanks for following this through to the end. ..at least the end for now. :D**


End file.
